In His Grasp
by UnforgettablyUnusual
Summary: Wendy Darling is no longer a child, but she still dreams of Peter Pan and her adventures in Neverland. One night, she encounters Captain Hook in her dreams and before she knows it, he's there in reality, and she has nowhere to hide.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"_Wendy, darling."_

She woke with a start, her heart beating furiously as the remains of her nightmare coursed through her. Her wide eyes peered cautiously around the room, for a moment imagining her to be back in the nursery with John and Michael. She was however, alone, and as the vision drifted slowly from her, she exhaled a soft sigh, lamenting her childhood, for after all she, now being seventeen, was a child no more. Wendy Darling had grown up.

This fact was not a surprising one. She had, of course, returned to London with her brothers and the Lost Boys four years ago, and since that point, naturally, time had moved on. She had not forgotten him though, nor Neverland, which still held a special place in her heart. Indeed, Wendy would often tell the story of Peter Pan to the boys, who had slowly begun to forget their adventures as new ones had filled their thoughts since returning home. They had been growing up too, and believing in faeries, mermaids and Indians was no longer their most prominent past time.

Neatening the covers and blankets that laced her bed during the winter months, Wendy thought, as she often did, back to the night she had last seen Peter. They had been so young and innocent and to them, the word 'forever' only extended as far as curiosity would allow. However, time seemed to freeze in Neverland, and a year in London could feel like only a few weeks in the fantasy world, and although Wendy had been plagued with her childhood ever since Peter had said goodbye, she was sure that the boy himself had not noticed the time go by. The only hope that remained in her heart was that he had not forgotten her, for knowing that would be as wounding as the fearless Captain Hook gutting her without a moment's remorse.

_Hook. _The memory of that evening's nightmare slipped back into Wendy's mind. She had been dreaming of nothing, as impossible as that may sound, but no vision had filled her thoughts, a song perhaps, a beautiful song, but that was all. She had been infatuated by the music, its soft but exciting tones entrancing her, so much so that she hadn't noticed it come to a halt. It was then that she observed something glimmering in the farthest corner of her eye. She hesitantly turned, only to find darkness, but the glimmer was still there, toying with her.

"Perhaps," she had thought aloud, "it's a faerie."

As if to answer her question, the glimmer suddenly began to form a shape. Curiosity overwhelming her, Wendy took a step forward, her brow furrowed. Watching the object closely, she didn't notice the dark cloud forming behind it, reaching from the floor to a height that towered over Wendy's form. As this was happening, the glimmer twisted into a curve and suddenly Wendy was able to recognise it. In the split second her frown had turned into a shocked gasp, the hook had also caught her in its grasp, delicately caressing her windpipe. The ghostly figure had too materialised in that moment and now Hook himself was standing before her, his eyes glimmering red and a smirk plastered across his jaw. He had looked her over, devouring the shock and panic that had overcome her entire being, and then he had whispered her name.

Wendy shook her head, removing herself from her subconscious. To nightmare about Captain Hook was bad enough, but to think of him during her waking hours was offering him a consideration he truly didn't deserve. Oh how she hated him, even after all these years. He had used her, taking advantage of the adventurer within her, and had even had the audacity to threaten and patronise her in front of the other pirates and Peter. No, even in his fate, he deserved little sympathy. It was after all, his destiny to die at the hands of Peter and she had no right to dispute that, or, for that matter, reflect upon it as her fault. She was no murderer, only a child caught up in a fantasy.

However the nightmare had scared her, if only a little, and as much as she tried to forget it, it remained at the back of her mind for the remainder of the day. As night fell and the time for stories arose, it was with certain trepidation that Wendy selected a tale for the boys. She eventually chose one about vampyres but as she was about the begin one of the boys, Michael, spoke up.

"Wendy, will you tell us about Peter Pan?"

"Peter Pan? Surely you are tired of his story. I have told it you many times."

"How could we ever be tired of our own adventures, dear Wendy?"

The other boys turned to Michael, confused by his words. Wendy too was perplexed: she thought the boys had all forgotten.

"What are you saying Michael?"

He paused before answering, glancing down ashamedly at his feet, as if he was being scolded by mother and father. "I dreamt of Neverland last night, and of Peter Pan and our adventures."

"Michael, stop your childishness. Peter Pan is just a fairy tale." John stood, anger lacing his features. A silence moved its way through the group, first in apprehension of John's words and then in thought, as if there was an untold secret hovering in front of each boy's face. Tootles spoke first.

"I too dreamt of Peter last night."

"And of Neverland." Curly reminisced.

"So did we." The twins chimed.

Nibs merely nodded his head in agreement, but that was enough.

In unison, the seven of them turned to John, whose cheeks had taken upon a pinkish hue.

"I… I did not dream of Peter Pan."

"He dreamt of Tiger Lily!" Michael giggled, and soon the other boys had joined in, John's face now bright red, confirming Michael's suspicion. Wendy hushed the boys, silently scolding them for teasing their older brother. It wasn't too long before each had apologised.

"Did you dream of Peter, Wendy?"

Studying the look on Tootles' face, Wendy paused. Should she tell them the truth, or was her nightmare not appropriate when compared to the other boys' exciting dreams?

"Yes, I dreamt of Neverland… and Peter."

The boys smiled and began to chatter amongst themselves, recounting their dreams. Nibs, always the quiet and observant one, kept his gaze on Wendy until she caught it with her own. She could tell immediately that he did not believe her words to be true, but thankfully he chose not to verbally challenge them.

It soon became apparent that each boy had dreamed of their experience in Neverland and, in doing so, had remembered Peter Pan and their previous lives. At least an hour passed whilst the boys talked, recalling their adventures and arguing over trivial matters, such as who had truly shot down the Wendy-bird. During this period, Wendy had remained silent, listening intently to each story and reflecting upon her own memory of each event. It was only as the boys were beginning to tire, their voices fading due to their constant use, that Michael once again turned to Wendy.

"Wendy, why do you think we all had the same dream?"

"I do not know Michael. Perhaps it was mere coincidence."

"Or maybe Peter's coming back to see us!"

"He may well be Curly. However, it does not mean that you, that _any _of you, should raise your hopes. Besides, it is far past all of your bedtimes, and you must now go to bed before Nana finds you are still awake!"

With a chorus of groans, each boy began to slowly make his way to his bed. John and Nibs, the eldest of the boys, occupied the two beds at the far end of the room, Tootles and Curly the ones in the middle, and the twins filled the bunk beds that were closest to the door, with Michael's bed nearest to the window and Nana's basket taking up the final space in the nursery. Wendy watched peacefully as each boy slipped under their covers, thoughts of sleep beginning to cloud their minds. She made her usual route, starting with the youngest and wishing each boy a 'good night' and 'happy dreams'. Breaking her usual sequence, she left Nibs till last, the boy having not spoken most of the night, his behaviour causing Wendy to worry ever so slightly.

"Do you have something on your mind Nibs?"

For a moment, Wendy believed that he had not heard her words, his eyes firmly fixed on the ceiling of the nursery. With a sigh he acknowledged her, his gaze once again catching, and this time holding, hers.

"Danger is coming. I can feel it. It's searching for you Wendy."

His words were only a whisper, and thankfully it was only Wendy who heard them. She cast her eyes to the floor, pondering Nib's words. They were impossible, yes, but he was a mysterious boy, and he had never been wrong before. Wendy bit her lip, forcing herself to stand as to not raise the suspicions of the other boys.

"I will be fine, Nibs. Do not worry. Now, goodnight."

With that, she left the nursery, allowing Nana to enter in order to make sure everyone was tucked in before shutting the door with a soft click.

Deep in thought, Wendy slowly and carefully, as to not disturb her parents or, heaven forbid, Aunt Millicent, made her way across the landing. She could hear the adults talking quietly downstairs, most likely discussing possible suitors for herself, as had been the prominent topic over the last number of days. Wendy felt her heart fall as she heard her Aunt say the phrase 'appropriate marriage'. Why should marriage be 'appropriate' at all? Why couldn't it involve love, like all the happy endings in her fairy tales? Alas, they were only fairy tales, and London was certainly not one.

For the umpteenth time that night, Wendy found herself thinking of Neverland, the only place she had ever known that existed on fairy tales, and certainly would never allow an 'appropriate marriage' when love could be found. Indeed, she thought herself that she had found love in Neverland, but playful innocence had prevailed and she had soon realised that Peter had not loved her, but instead her stories and the adventures that they had partaken together. She did not mind though, for why should she regret one of the happiest times of her life? She loved Peter, yes, but in the same way that she loved her brothers or the rest of her family, they were not, and had not been, _in love_. No, that was an entirely different adventure.

The door creaking as she opened it, Wendy glanced around her room. She made her way over to the large bay window that the moonlight was currently spilling through, her bare feet making little sound as they walked across the cold wooden floor. Upon reaching the window, she sat at its edge, admiring the view below. Being older now she had been moved into her own room, which was on the opposite side of the house meaning that she was able to watch the people of London as they travelled past on their daily excursions. Wendy had discovered that even at night time, there was plenty for her to watch: beggars in the street, fine gentlemen and ladies in beautiful coaches, most likely heading to extravagant parties, and of course, there were the three young orphan boys whom she often gave scraps of food to, and had aptly christened, 'The Lost Boys'. She caught sight of them this night too, one deftly pickpocketing a policeman whilst the others returned his 'dropped' keys. As much as she knew that their behaviour was certainly not law abiding, Wendy could not help but feel sympathy for the boys. They were, after all, the same age as the real Lost Boys had been on their return to London and they were only doing all they could to survive, just as she would if she was in their positions.

As she was about to retire, one of the boys, the youngest, caught sight of her, waving excitedly to their secret acquaintance. The others turned around, their job complete and too followed the younger boy's gaze, grinning and removing their caps in order to partake in a clumsy bow. Wendy smiled and continued to watch as the boys turned their attention to another prospective mark, a rather short man, who was wearing a long dark cloak. Gazing upwards to explore the night sky, Wendy missed the exchange between the boys and the cloaked man. She didn't see the man, or rather boy, lower his hood and talk to the boys. Nor did she see the boys, captivated by their approacher's words, gasp excitedly as a ball of gold flew into the sky, its magical dust floating over them. It was only as the boys rose into the air, unsteady at first but quickly gaining balance, that Wendy turned her gaze towards them, her mouth hanging open in a very unladylike manner. The cloaked boy and the ball of gold also lifted off the ground and began to move away from her at an alarming speed.

Knowing immediately that she must talk to Peter, for the mysterious boy could be no other, Wendy grasped at the window and pulled it open, a gush of cold winter air spilling into her room.

"Peter!"

The call echoed across the rooftops, searching through every street for the one it belonged to. The boy in question paused in his return journey, the caller's voice seeming both familiar and unidentifiable at the same time. He stopped, casting a glance behind him, which was quickly interrupted by Tinkerbell as she flew in front of his face. Forgetting the voice, Peter turned back and began to guide his new charges towards Neverland, for what troubles a grown-up will never trouble a child.

Wendy, however, was troubled. Had Peter not heard her, or had he not recognised her voice? Why was he recruiting more boys, was he lonely, or was he in trouble? Had she seen him at all, or had she just imagined him for want of seeing him one last time? She certainly wasn't dreaming, the cold chill that had now entrapped her, she being dressed only in her nightwear, was testament to that. Searching the street below her she noted that her 'Lost Boys' were also absent, although they could have easily moved out of eyesight. Wendy sighed, perhaps she had imagined it.

Absentmindedly withdrawing from the window, Wendy closed the curtains and made her way over to her bed, burying herself underneath the covers and rolling over. Tomorrow, she decided, she would forget Peter Pan for good, and only then could she grow up.

She soon fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of far off places and magical worlds, and all was silent across the Darling household. The window, which had been mistakenly left open, suddenly inhaled a gust of air, the curtains shuddering and waking into a furious dance as a result. As they did so, the moonlight was able to break through the curtain's defences and shone directly across the room, to where Wendy was peacefully sleeping. A glimmer of silver swiftly caught the moon's gaze, casting a curved shadow onto Wendy's bed which, had she been awake, would have caused her heart to start pounding.

A tall, dark shadow replaced its glimmering counterpart, and the owner of it silently stepped off the windowsill, his moustache twitching as his deep brown eyes wandered over the room's occupant. His lips curved into a smile, a hint of red colouring his irises.

"Wendy, _darling_."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Wendy awoke, slowly this time, having had no nightmare or even a prominent dream to alert her otherwise. She could hear birds chirping outside her window long before she opened her eyes, and even basked in the beauty of their music for a while. It soon dawned on her that she should have awoken many hours ago, for the sun was hot on her face, suggesting it to be almost midday. She rolled over, burying her face in her soft pillow with a sigh, for a moment basking in her impromptu lie in. However the enjoyment didn't last long. Questions began to fill her mind: Why hadn't Mother woken her, or even Aunt Millicent? Surely her brothers would have even noticed her absence from breakfast and swayed themselves to wake her in not so polite a manner. But no, Wendy had not been awoken, and she could not hear anything to suggest that she may be soon.

Suddenly knowing that something wasn't quite right, Wendy blinked herself awake, gasping as her eyes adjusted to the vision before her. She was no longer in her bedroom, or indeed the Darling household. Instead she was somewhere she had only been a small number of times before, somewhere she had certainly never thought she would find herself again. It was a moment before she could bring herself to get out of the bed. She couldn't quite comprehend the vision before her, but after all these years everything was exactly as before, the large Royal Oak bedframe, the red satin covers, and across the room, the gilded writing desk and equally extravagant piano, where she had first met him up close. Not only was she aboard The Jolly Roger, but she was also inside Hook's cabin.

Her feet swept across the cold wooden floor as she stood and made her way over to the cabin door. She didn't dare try to leave, just in case he was waiting outside for her, ready to enact whatever terrible thing he had in his mind. Stopping in her tracks, a thought suddenly crossed Wendy's mind: Captain Hook was no more. She had seen his demise with her own eyes, indeed she had even chanted along with the others until he had given up hope and allowed himself to be swallowed by the crocodile. So how had she ended up here?

A surprised gasp escaped her lips as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into shape. It was Peter! He had taken possession of The Jolly Roger and brought Wendy back to Neverland to hear more of her stories! Forgetting her worries, Wendy pulled open the cabin door, racing out onto the deck to scold Peter for worrying her before regaling him with new and exciting stories. Unfortunately, she had been entirely wrong in her assumption, and as she came to a halt, face to face with fifteen of the fiercest pirates in the known world, she could only wonder whether she would ever see London again. Her gaze lifted, and she caught sight of James Hook, his lips curled into a snarl as his eyes bore into hers: her chances were very slim indeed.

"Ah, I see our _guest _has awoken!"

Wendy watched petrified as Hook, a man she had believed to be dead and gone, began to descend the steps that led to the upper deck. The pirates, who up until her appearance had been performing their duties, also started to inch towards her, creating an impenetrable line of defence against any escape she might attempt. She still tried, however. Vaulting from her stunned position, Wendy ran at the edge of the pirate wall. Stunned by her sudden movement, one even foolishly moved out of her way, creating a gap for her to duck under. She screamed as she heard a gunshot, followed by the collapsing of a body, knowing instantly who had shot, and, unfortunately for the foolish pirate, who had been shot. However, the action had given her a few more seconds, and taking the chance, Wendy pulled herself onto the ship's railings, clinging onto the rigging as she gaged the distance she would have to swim to reach the main land.

"If you so desperately wanted to go for a swim, you could have just asked."

The pirates chuckled cruelly as Wendy, teetering ever so slightly, turned around to face Hook. He hadn't moved from his position, not an inch, for why should he, the greatest pirate Captain of all, chase a silly little girl? There was nowhere for her to run to either, so any chasing would merely result in wasted efforts. No, she would come to him of her own accord, and that is what would satisfy his demonic mind the most.

"What do you want with me? I will not let you entrap me as you did before!"

Hook's lips lifted into a sly curve, his eyes twinkling with revenge.

"Oh, Wendy, I see you are too old to fall for any cunning plans my men or I may devise."

Hate boiling up inside her, Wendy had to clear her mind before answering. After all, she didn't want to anger him, not on purpose anyway.

"I am not old _Hook. _I have just grown up enough to be able to read the mind of an adult."

She watched horrified as Hook's smirk grew, his moustache twitching as he raised his hand to it, feigning contemplation.

"If you are so adept at understanding us, my dear, then why do you believe I have bought you here?"

Wendy thought for a moment, her young mind briefly flitting over the darker stories she had become acquainted with whilst she was growing up: stories of danger and violence, and even slavery and kidnapping. With haste she dismissed them, knowing truly that she was here because of Peter, and any damage that may occur to her during her time in Neverland would merely be an added bonus for the heinous men surrounding her.

Making no sound, Wendy carefully lowered herself from the rigging, walking back to the centre of the deck until she was just out of Hook's reach.

"You brought me here to act as bait for Peter."

"My, you are a clever one! However…"

Interrupting him in a manner most unbefitting a woman, Wendy continued. "But your plans will not come to fruition. For you see, it has been four years since my adventures in Neverland and after such a time, Peter will certainly not remember me, especially as I have changed so much since we last met."

It was now that Hook gazed upon the girl standing before him. True, she was no child, her shape had moulded into that of a young woman and her features had also sharpened, turning her once innocent gaze into one most delicately feminine. However, as he prowled through her mind, Hook could see that Wendy yearned for the pleasure of her childhood and, in doing so, her innocence and naivety had remained, as had her excitement of adventure and, as Hook most gleefully discovered, danger.

Grinning wildly, Hook took a step towards Wendy, who tactfully returned the gesture by stepping backwards.

"Four years, Wendy! My, my, such a long time, you have missed so much! And yet, I see that you have been adventuring of your own accord too. Your beloved Peter is but an arrogant child, and now you, his one memory in all of this fantasy land, has grown up."

Unravelling his words, Wendy's heart lifted. Did Peter remember her? Hook watched as her eyes widened and she shortened the gap between them.

"He remembers?"

"In a manner of speaking: yes. However, you are more an idle dream to him, a dream in which he managed to defeat me once and for all," Wendy flinched as he brought his hook to her chin, the cold metal gracing her throat, "with a little help from you of course."

Questions suddenly began to burn in Wendy's mind, spilling into her thoughts as if Hook had unlocked the door that was keeping them at bay. Up until now, Wendy had just assumed that Hook had somehow survived the crocodile, but in her sudden shock she realised her theory was impossible. She had, after all, witnessed Hook's demise, as well as that of many of the pirate's surrounding her. It was as if, as unlikely as it sounds, Neverland had reset itself to a period before Wendy's arrival, and was now ready to begin the action all over again.

"It was not a dream, Peter won and you lost." Her voice quietened to a scared whisper, "How are you here?"

"Perhaps a story would satisfy that question, my dear."

With no more than the sound of their bodies hitting the deck, each pirate had instantaneously sat down, eager to hear their Captain's words. Hook rolled his eyes but continued anyway.

"Once upon a time there was an arrogant little boy named Peter Pan..."

Wendy smirked as the memory of her last rendezvous with Hook filled her mind, the reminiscence prompting her to suddenly take on a boldness that her Mother would certainly be ashamed of. "Skip the prologue."

Hook laughed one short, sharp cackle before suddenly taking a hold of the back of Wendy's head and pulling her towards him, his hook now threatening to pierce her throat as his voice lowered into a growl.

"He found himself a Wendy and together they threw the poor Captain Hook to his death. Then, much to Peter's dismay, the selfish Wendy decided to go home, and leave the lonely boy to rot all by himself. Within time, he forgot Wendy and his adventures with her. His hate for Hook slowly rekindled, as one can never truly forget their rival, and as such, so did I. Of course, I have you to thank for the time I suffered in Limbo."

Looking up into the glimmers of red that had laced Hook's eyes, Wendy could only whimper as she was forcefully thrown against the mast. Her strength leaving her, she collapsed in a heap, looking up only as a pair of black leather boots approached her.

"I don't understand."

Crouching low, Hook began to slowly survey his hostage, his eyes tracing her neckline and catching sight of a silver chain which he had not noticed before.

"You see, my dear Wendy. Pan and I, we are like a two sided puzzle. There may seem to be some material similarities between us, but it is our differences that make us such fine enemies. We rely on each other for our own existence, for without one of us to rival the other, the other has no reason for living. If you take one of us apart, the other will break too, we are either alive together, or dead together, there are no other ways."

"But you were defeated. The crocodile swallowed you whole!"

"And Pan couldn't live without a rival, without me, so Neverland, this beautiful world that lives only for him, it brought me back to life."

"That's impossible!"

He laughed, raising his brow. "And flying is not?"

Wendy stuttered, unable to respond. In essence he was right, but even flying seemed less impossible than returning someone from the dead! Sharply tugging her out of her subconscious, Hook pulled at the necklace he had been eyeing, ripping it sharply from Wendy's throat. She screamed, both at the sudden movement, and at the sting the hook had made as it had cut her skin. Hook smirked, lifting Peter's kiss to his face so he could study it further.

"What is this?"

"Nothing of importance."

"Then you won't mind if I dispose of it."

Standing and marching over to the ship's rail, Hook turned back to Wendy, expecting her to give in, but she didn't. In a sudden burst of anger, the necklace flew from Hook's grasp and landed, with a soft splash, in the water below. Still no response came from Wendy and so Hook dismissed the object, returning his attention to its owner.

"Tie her up and lock her in the brig."

The men jumped to their feet to follow their Captain's orders, Wendy lifting her head in panic.

"But…"

Hook smirked at her protest.

"But, what, my dear? Why should I offer you hospitality when I shall gain nothing from it? You are, after all, aware of my true reason to bring you here, so I shan't waste my time spoiling you with luxury. Good day."

With that, Hook disappeared into his cabin, listening joyfully to Wendy's protests as she was hurled down into the brig. Her knees scraped the staircase as she was dragged under the deck and into a dark, damp cell laced with rot, splinters spearing her feet as she struggled to stand, her arms tied firmly behind her. She gazed up at the three pirates that had apprehended her, suddenly fearing them in a whole new manner as they looked down at her greedily. No longer being under the Captain's protection, Wendy realised that Neverland had become a lot darker as she had grown up. Things which she had innocently ignored all those years ago were now threatening to tear her apart. Neverland may have been Heaven for children, but for grown-ups, it was beyond Hell.

At around the same time on a small stretch of beach that Neverland had come to regard as 'Pirate Bay', due to its frequent visits by pirates in order to bury their stolen treasure, three young boys were engaged in an adventure. They dug joyfully in the sand with their hands, gasping and shouting as they discovered ornate shells and the occasional piece of eight. Their leader watched carefully as his new charges explored, looking as if they had always belonged to Neverland in the makeshift clothes they had _adapted _from their orphan-wear. The leader himself was wearing green, so many shades of it that it was as if he had just taken a pile of leaves and thrown them on. Of course, that was exactly what Peter had done all those many years ago, with Tinker Bell having added some faerie magic to the mix to make sure it held in place.

Peter studied the orphans as they played, glad that he had rescued them from the other world. Although he did not travel back to London regularly, a strange force had pulled him there last night and, much to Tinker Bell's detest, he had obeyed. It was then that he had found the boys and claimed them as his own. He would have stayed longer to explore London, but he didn't like Winter with its cold weather and strong winds that sounded as if they were calling out to you, so instead he returned to Neverland, ready to begin another adventure.

As he was contemplating what his next adventure might be, a small necklace washed up onto the sands of Pirate Bay. The littlest boy found it first, shouting excitedly as he picked it up and began to run towards Peter. The other boys too had noticed their comrade's discovery and stopped their foraging in order to see what he had discovered. They all reached Peter at about the same time, gasping for breath but desperate to view the treasure up close. Peter took the necklace and held it up to the light, carefully examining it.

"What is it?"

Silence greeted the oldest boy's question as Peter continued to study the object in his hands. He fingered the silver chain first and then took the pendant in his hand, stroking the arrowhead sized dent that had sparked his curiosity. Unconsciously, his spare hand reached to his chest, where the acorn had once lived upon his clothing. It was another moment before he spoke.

"It's a kiss."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: A very short chapter this time, but it's building up to something rather special. Thank you for all the reviews! This will not be a typical Hook/Wendy story and the characters will fight it as long as possible, but hopefully the outcome will be worth the wait, and the drama in between!

Chapter 3

Upon their return to the home under the ground, Peter Pan had hidden himself away in his bedchamber, allowing the orphans to acquaint themselves with their new lodgings. He had studied the necklace so hard that he thought his brain would explode from all the thinking he had done, but still he could not recall why he had known it was a kiss, or whom it had belonged to. In the end Tinker Bell, who, I can assure you, knew exactly whom the pendant belonged to, persuaded Peter to give up and eat some of the delicious meal she and the boys had prepared. He reluctantly agreed, hanging the necklace on a loose root so he would remember to come back and study it later. He left the chamber with a sigh and with a flutter of her wings Tink had angrily flown over to the necklace and pulled it from its place, dropping it under Peter's bed where she knew he would never find it: as that is where all unwanted objects end up.

It was a good number of hours before Wendy was brought back up on deck. In the meantime she tried to calm her worries with stories, but they didn't seem to be as effective as they had been when she was younger. So instead she had analysed her predicament, realising that the sooner she found Peter, the sooner she could leave Neverland. She had contemplated Hook's words too, about Peter not being able to survive without Hook and vice versa, and had deduced that _if _Hook did kill Peter, the boy would be brought back to life and all would begin again. However, the idea of leading Peter to his death was something Wendy could not comprehend, even in these unusual circumstances, and so her mind once again drew a blank on what to do.

She was interrupted in her thoughts by none other than the first mate, Smee. He bumbled into the brig, humming cheerfully to himself as he unlocked the cell door before helping Wendy up with a mumbled apology. Stumbling slightly as the ship swayed, she was led up onto the deck where she was surprised to discover that it was no longer daytime and the moon instead overlooked Neverland, aided by a thousand twinkling stars.

"Good evening, my dear. How have you been?"

Wendy turned to Hook, finding no need to reply to his question as he knew the answer perfectly well.

"I will not help you catch Peter."

His brow rose, and with a sigh he approached Wendy, his hook caressing her cheek before grazing over the cut it had produced earlier. She hissed as pain shot through her, to which the rest of the crew laughed heartily. With a quick snap of his head, Hook turned to his men.

"Back to your duties!"

Without a moment's hesitation each man had returned to his post, although they still continued to listen into their Captain's conversation, occasionally turning their heads to see what was unfolding between Hook and his captive. Hook returned his gaze to Wendy, guiding her into his cabin, much to the rest of the crew's disappointment. When they were inside he held her against the cabin door, his hand firmly against her throat. Leaning close to her, he whispered gently, "If you have any wish to return home, you will do exactly as I say. Now," he smirked, pulling a pistol from his belt, pointing it at Wendy's heart, "move over there."

"_What?"_

He lifted the pistol, shooting out of the window to the side of her. Wendy screamed, at which point she could hear the other pirates gasp and then start to converse excitedly among themselves as to what might have happened. Hook lowered the pistol once more and cocked the trigger, ready to fire. With a gasp, Wendy did as she was told.

"Do you fear me, Wendy Darling?"

The question caught her by surprise, and to be truthful, at that moment, she really did. However, the more Wendy thought about it, the more she realised that she had never really feared Hook, to her he was merely an adventure: a little dangerous perhaps, but nothing to be feared.

"No, I do not."

Lowering his pistol in a rare moment of empathy, Hook studied the woman before him. He so badly wanted her to fear him, to cower at his might and beg for her freedom, but this was Wendy Darling, and she would do no such thing. Of course, he could try and break her, lock her in the brig for days and let her starve, but no, it was not her body that needed to break, it was her mind.

A snarl released itself from Hook's lips, causing Wendy to look up at him in shock. His mouth twisting into a smirk, Hook began to stride towards her, quickly closing the gap between them before she had time to consider running away. He raised his Hook to her chin, making sure she had no other option but to look up at him, which she did so with only slight hesitation. Wendy couldn't help but shiver at the coldness of the blade, and, taking this for fear, Hook chuckled quietly to himself.

"I will make you fear me, Wendy Darling. I will make you fear your very existence."

Gathering up all her courage, Wendy snarled back.

"Never! I am not scared of you!"

There was a pause as Hook drank in the determination that laced her inquisitive blue eyes. Then, with the slowest of movements, he softly began to stroke Wendy's hair, leaning in close to her ear as she turned her head away.

"Oh, but you will be."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: Thank you for the reviews. This one has been difficult but I love it so much! In answer to your questions, the characters are inspired by both the 2003 Movie and the Book. As much as I like the Disney, this is a dark story, and the characters in this new state are certainly not appropriate for children! Finally in response to Goblinesque, I'm doing both. This is my tribute to a wonderful and inspiring story, and my novel is a tribute to the themes of my childhood. If it ever gets published, I'll be sure to mention it on my profile... Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 4

As Wendy had slowly been starting to discover, the Neverland she had encountered at the naïve age of thirteen was entirely different to the one she was trapped in now. Everything she could recall of her and Peter's adventures had involved magic and beauty, where happy endings were ten to the dozen and justice was always served. However, as her second morning on board The Jolly Roger approached, Wendy realised that she had seen nothing of Neverland's beauty but instead had been thrown into a world of darkness and evil that was becoming increasingly difficult to escape from. Hook's final words, before he had pushed her backwards into the bed post and subsequently knocked her unconscious, still seared through Wendy's mind, and as she lay in the darkness of the brig engulfed in her thoughts, once again locked in that dark, damp cell, the true danger of Wendy's circumstances dawned upon her.

Initially the realisation sparked her curiosity. Wendy loved adventure almost as much as Peter, and the idea of her escaping in some heroic manner and defeating Captain Hook once more enveloped her in a strength of mind that only children are capable of. However, the determination didn't last long as soon her mind wandered to the danger of her being grown up and no longer naïve. She knew the dangers of the world, and stories of pirates and masked men had taken on a whole new meaning in Wendy's mind since her last visit. Although not one to admit it, she had developed into a beautiful young woman and often caught the eye of many back home in London. Of course, London men would never be so forward in their approach of women, not like pirates, who did horrible things to women that even the thought of was enough to break Wendy's heart. She had indeed noticed the hunger in each pirate's eyes as they had first gazed over her, but in some mysterious way, she knew she was safe for now, because each and every rogue feared Hook greater than their own lust, and so, in some perverse manner, she was under his protection. But what is protection when your protector is also your kidnapper? Tears rushed to her eyes as Wendy contemplated a life where each day her future was placed in another's hands, because she knew for certain that he would not let her leave, even if she aided him in Peter's capture. There was something more to Hook's reason for bringing Wendy to Neverland, she was just unable to figure out what it was.

A sudden break in the ship's gentle swaying brought Wendy back to the present with a crash, literally, as she was launched into the side of the brig as the ship pitched sideways. Picking herself up off the floor, she stumbled towards the cell door, clutching onto it as the ship once again pitched in the opposite direction. A shout echoed above her, followed rapidly by another and another, until the noise descended into a cacophony of bellows and calls. Her heart pumping at a rate she had until the moment deemed impossible, an idea sprung to Wendy's mind and she quickly began to look around for something that may help her escape before the ship itself determined her fate by dragging her to the bottom of the ocean. Falling to her knees as another shout echoed above her, followed by the deafening boom of what Wendy presumed to be a canon, a glint of metal caught her eye. Digging under the barrel it was trapped beneath, Wendy, with some difficultly, pulled the shard of metal towards her and scurried towards the cell door. Not being a thief or locksmith, Wendy had no experience of picking locks, however, to her deepest relief, it was only a minute or two before the door swung open, a loud screech escaping from it as the hinges complained of their sudden awakening. Thankfully, the noise had no danger of being heard by the men up on deck, as the canon once again sent off a boom that caused Wendy to cover her mouth in fear of screaming out loud.

At as much of a run that she could muster with the ship still pitching roughly from side to side, Wendy made her way over to the stairway leading to the deck. Her plan was risky but simple: using the commotion of the pirates as a cover to go unnoticed, she would slip up out onto the deck and jump overboard before anyone could realise or attempt to stop her. She would have to be quick in her actions, but Wendy was ready.

Fate, however, didn't agree with her plan and just as she was about to ascend the stairway, a single comprehendible shout raised itself above all the others.

"Get her!"

Knowing at once that the voice was referring to her and without a moment's hesitation slyly slipping into the darkness, Wendy was given little time to hide as the doors to the brig flung open, crashing against their frames like thunder in a stormy sky. A pirate, one she had neither read of nor encountered upon her previous visit, stood at the entrance the brig, lingering only for a second before deftly clambering inside and passing Wendy's hiding place to look into the now empty cell.

It was now or never.

With a burst of energy, Wendy vaulted up the stairs before her, barely hearing the pirate shout as he was alerted to her presence and began to chase after her. Tripping only once on her nightgown, she reached the deck in no time at all and didn't even pause to glance around before hurtling towards the ship's railing at a speed she had never moved before. Anticipating a sense of déjà vu as she clambered onto the railing, Wendy prepared herself to jump into the freezing waters below. However, before she could bring herself to do so, a flash of golden light caught her eye, banishing every thought of escape from her mind.

Turning her head speedily but carefully, as to not interrupt her delicate balance, Wendy surveyed the frenzied action before her. Pirates were fighting boys, some of which, with a gasp, she recognised, and others whom she had never encountered before. The pirates were also heavily outnumbering the boys which, arising the motherly instinct within her, made Wendy realise that now was no time for her to be thinking of herself. A clash of blades met her ears and this time, spinning around in a manner that meant she had to cling onto the rigging for dear life in fear of falling backwards, her gaze settled upon a boy she had not seen in four years, but whom still looked identical to the one she had wished goodbye to all that time ago. However, even at a distance, she could see that something had changed within Peter. He was laughing as he lunged at Hook, jeering and taunting the enemy with cruel remarks, but something was different. His movements, every lurch and stab of his blade, were sharper and executed with greater purpose than Wendy had ever noticed before, as if Peter wanted to play, but really sought to kill.

Brushing the thought quickly from her mind, as Peter was only a child and not capable of such dark desires, Wendy lowered herself onto the deck, ducking and diving out of pirates' ways as they fought around her, seemingly oblivious of her existence. Scrambling up onto the bridge, where Hook and Peter were otherwise engaged, a sudden force clasped strongly at Wendy's ankle and began to pull her away from her destination. With a scream she fell down the staircase, her hands stopping her head from hitting each step as she tumbled down it, collapsing at the bottom in such a manner that knocked all the air from her lungs. The man, or rather pirate, that had caused her to fall, lurched over Wendy, preparing to lift her, but she had other ideas. Kicking her leg upwards, the pirate doubled over in pain as her foot connected with his delicate area, giving her a moment to grasp her aching head before once again making her way onto the bridge.

As she approached the fighting couple, Wendy stopped to study them for a moment. Neither looked more content, Hook determined that this time the glory would be his, and Peter simply enjoying the thrill of the adventure. The flash of gold that had alerted Wendy to Peter's presence suddenly flew past her, stopped and then retraced its flight path. Wendy smiled warmly as Tinker Bell studied her, her mouth dropping into a gape before forming a scowl. The smile slowly drifted from Wendy's lips as Tink, making no effort to hide her anger, cursed at her and darted towards Peter, diverting his attention as she furiously whispered into his ear.

Pinning Hook to the ship's wheel at such a speed that even the Captain himself could not avoid, Peter rose gracefully into the air, cawing loudly to his followers, who, at his direction, landed one final blow upon their opponents before vaulting into the waiting sea and disappearing from view. Her feet taking over, Wendy chased after Peter, stopping only as the ship's rail prevented her from falling into the cold water below, however her efforts were in vain as her movement went unnoticed and Peter circled the ship, preparing to return home.

"Peter!"

In one last moment of desperation, Wendy called out, memories coursing through her; a thirteen year old girl standing alone in the woods, watching as a young boy angrily flies off, that same girl glancing over the sleeping boy's form, wishing with all her heart that he would see sense and grow up. But as we all know and as Wendy harshly learned, Peter Pan will never grow up.

Something similar must have occurred within Peter Pan's mind upon hearing Wendy's call for, as before, he halted in his movements. The voice echoed around him as he connected it with the one that had called to him a few night's previous, but still its owner remained a mystery. Tink, instantly jealous at the thought of Peter and Wendy rekindling their friendship, attempted to distract Peter as she had done previously however, this time, she was not so successful in her exploits. Why, you ask? Because what troubles a grown-up will never trouble a child… unless that child, who knows his created world inside out and back to front, encounters something new within it, something which both intrigues and repels him at the same time.

And that is how Peter came to turn around, and cast his gaze upon Wendy for the first time in many moons.

The interaction was greeted by a deathly silence. Of course, the silence had fallen directly after Wendy had shouted, but only now did it make itself apparent to all those that bore witness of the events that occurred that day.

It made itself even more apparent as Peter lowered himself onto the deck, much to Tinker Bell's protests, and proceeded to approach Wendy, observing her as if she were a foreign object which, to him, was exactly what she was. Wendy could do nothing but watch as Peter circled her. He didn't remember her, that was more than apparent, however her recognised something about her, and it was that that gave Wendy hope.

"Peter?"

With a leap backwards, his sword was drawn and pointed at Wendy's throat. She jumped at the movement, catching Peter's confused gaze with her worried one.

"How do you know my name?"

"It's me: Wendy, Wendy Darling!"

His face contorted into a frown as he tried unsuccessfully to recall the name. "Who?"

Wendy didn't answer; she couldn't. Despite being aware, and having been told, that Peter could not remember her, hearing it directly from him sent a bolt of pain through her that was so sharp that for a moment she was unable to breathe.

"Why are you crying?"

Feeling a tear creep down her face, unaware that she had been crying until that moment, Wendy hastily brushed it away. The sentence Peter had uttered brought another memory back to her, the memory of their first encounter: the night when her adventures had begun.

"Do you not remember me, Peter? You came to my window, to the nursery. You taught me to fly and you brought me here, to Neverland. Do you not remember?"

His confused turned into a scowl and he took a step away from her, tucking his dagger back into his belt.

"I would never bring a grown-up to Neverland. Never!"

Before Wendy could point out that she had, in fact, been a child when Peter had taken her to Neverland, Hook interrupted, approaching Wendy's grief stricken side.

"She's telling the truth, Pan. You brought her to Neverland when she was a child," He turned towards Wendy with a swish of his brocade coat and took her chin in his hand, caressing her cheeks and wiping away the tears that were now cascading from her eyes. A smirk flittered onto his lips, "And to thank you, what did she do? She betrayed you Pan. She returned home because she would rather grow up than stay with you."

"No!"

Regaining some strength, Wendy pulled away from Hook with such force that she almost fell straight back into another pirate. Approaching Peter, who disgustedly moved away from her, Wendy sighed. "It is not true Peter, I had to go home. I had to grow up, I had no choice."

By this time, Peter, having both encountered someone new and been told that he himself, brought her to Neverland in the first place, was thoroughly confused. True, he recognised this 'Wendy' in some manner, but he certainly could not recall ever acquainting himself with her, and the thought of bringing someone other than a Lost Boy, especially a girl, to Neverland was preposterous. Flicking his gaze between Hook and Wendy, Peter settled it upon the former.

"Do not lie to me Hook. You are old and I will never believe you!"

Hook's moustache twitched but no comment was uttered, and so Peter turned to Wendy.

"Grown-ups are not welcome here. If you remain I will banish you, and if you are a pirate, I will run you through."

With a leap, Peter was hovering a metre from the ship, still glaring intensely at Wendy, who could not quite believe what she had just heard.

"And if Hook is speaking the truth and you did betray me… I am glad to have forgotten you. I will never grow up, and nobody can make me, not even a Wendy."

Before she could utter a word of disagreement he was gone. She shouted after him once more but this time he did not turn back or even flinch at his name. Collapsing on the deck, tears streamed down Wendy's face as Hook pulled her to her feet and carried her to his cabin. Behind them the sky darkened, flashes of lighting bolting through the sky swiftly followed by deep growls of thunder. As the pirates returned to their duties, Smee cast his glaze upwards, knowing the reason for the sudden shift in weather. Pan was troubled and now, so was Neverland.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Again, thank you very much for all the reviews and apologies for not getting this up sooner. I have the next chapter already in production so it should be done soon, I promise! A little warning, this chapter does contain slight violence and the suggestion of adult themes, so be aware. Also, I would like to give big shout outs to the previous chapter's reviewers: Goblinesque, Mrshcullark08 and Scarlett Siren. Thanks! P.S. Goblinesque: Just caught up with Once Upon a Time, and Hook is brilliant! Isaacs is still my favourite though x)

Chapter 5

Sympathy is a strange feeling: even the darkest of souls can be consumed with it from time to time. As Hook watched the sobbing girl curled before him he knew that he had been cursed with it, and as much as he tried, he was unable to remove it's gentility from his mind.

She had been crying for quite some time. How long he wasn't quite sure, as no clocks adorned the cabin walls, but it had indeed been long enough for Smee to prepare a luxurious meal for them both, which was now growing cold at the table.

"You must eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Eat!"

Wendy looked up in shock as Hook cursed quietly to himself, not meaning to get so perturbed by her stubbornness. However, the tone had been set and it was with a sense of apprehension that Wendy stood, rubbing her reddened eyes free of tears, and made her way over to the table. Sitting opposite her, Hook locked his gaze onto her, watching as she picked at a piece of chicken and ate an amount that he could only describe as 'fit enough for an ant'. He sighed, catching Wendy's questioning gaze as she cast her eyes upon him.

"You are testing my patience Wendy."

It was more than a warning: it was a threat, but Wendy didn't care. Resting her fork on her plate, she turned away, defiance in her eyes. Swifter than a flash Hook had snapped, his moustache twitching furiously as he lurched towards her, his Hook pressing hard against her windpipe.

"I am not a patient man," he hissed, "and in light of today's _events _I…"

"I'm sorry."

It was only a whisper but the words hit Hook like a bullet. For a long moment he was unable to reply and it was only as Wendy began to shift uncomfortably in her seat that the pang of guilt that had engulfed him suddenly burst into flames, burning his insides.

"Get out."

"Pardon?"

"OUT!"

Stumbling as she stood and hastily made her exit, Wendy cast one last glance towards Hook, who promptly growled at her before smashing his hook into the table. She slammed the cabin door behind her, flying out onto the deck and crashing straight into a bewildered Smee, who had been hovering a few feet from the door in an attempt to listen in on their conversation.

"Are you alright Miss?"

"I'm perfectly fine thank you Smee."

Leaning on the rails that surveyed the entirety of the main deck and gazing up into the starlit sky, Wendy forced back the tears that were once more threatening to fall from her eyes.

"You know Miss, the Cap'n's not all bad. He's quite a pleasant guy once you get to know him."

Wendy rolled her eyes, turning to Smee. She sighed, knowing he had honourable intentions, however that didn't mean his words were the truth.

"That may well be so, but the person sitting in there right now is nothing more than a monster. He needs help."

"Perhaps he just needs a Wendy."

Stepping away in shock, Wendy shook her head. "What?"

When Smee didn't reply she turned away, a plan unfurling before her eyes.

"Smee, I'm going home."

Smee stuttered, quite taken aback by this sudden revelation. "Pardon, Miss?"

"I said I'm going home. Tonight."

Ignoring Smee's protests, Wendy stood, making her way down onto the deck. Striding over to the longboat she began to clamber into it.

"Where do you think you're going?"

An arm stretched out, grabbing Wendy's hand and pulling her towards him. She gasped, coming face to face with the very pirate who had been sent to retrieve her earlier.

"Let go of me!"

His mouth twisted into a devilish smirk, one that Wendy decided she had seen way too much of since her return to Neverland. Instead of obeying her, the pirate pulled her closer, enough so that she was able to smell the rum on his breath.

"You're a pretty one, aren't you? It's a shame you belong to the Captain."

In a moment of stubbornness, Wendy snapped, not comprehending the result of her words fast enough.

"I do not _belong _to anyone!"

The smirk widened into a full blown grin.

"Well, if that's so."

The next thing she knew, she was on the floor, having been thrown from the pirate's grip, the sleeve of her nightdress ripping in the process. He stalked towards her, laughing as she attempted to crawl away, only to find herself backed up against the ship's rail. Fear flooded Wendy's senses as the pirate approached, slowly stalking towards her. Looking around, she was astounded that no one had heard the commotion, or perhaps they had but were unwilling to come to her aid. A slight glimpse upwards confirmed her prediction, as she realised that the pirate manning the Crow's Nest had diverted his gaze downwards: positioning himself perfectly as to watch the unfurling scene.

Shaking as he towered over, all thoughts of protection and manly decency flew from Wendy's mind. Part of her had forgotten that she was in an entirely different world now: the standards and rules of middle class London had no place here, and for the first time in her life, Wendy wished that she had never been brought to Neverland by Peter, for since her return she had been constantly comparing the two worlds, and home had always seemed like a much duller comparison to the place where she had realised her childhood fantasies. Of course, now she was not so sure, and home was starting to look a lot more appealing, even with all its rules and restrictions.

"You almost cost me my position earlier and, as a matter of fact, my life too."

The pirate snarled, lurching forward towards her, his hand wrapping itself in Wendy's rather unkempt hair. She opened her mouth to reply but he gave her little chance, pulling her head sharply towards him, a cry escaping her lips instead.

"Luckily the Captain was rather distracted by Pan's arrival. However, I still think you owe me a little apology. Don't you, _poppet_?"

Wendy cringed at his pet name, but gave no verbal resistance, not wanting to test her attacker's patience. At least with Hook she had known that his intentions did not involve her death. However, as her eyes flickered to the pirate, who was now glaring down over her, his gaze inappropriately surveying her body through her nightdress, she couldn't be so sure what his final intentions were, although she had a rough idea, and just the thought of it made her feel sick.

"I'm sorry. I…"

Stopping as her head came into contact with the railing behind her, Wendy winced in pain, her eyes taking a moment to refocus as they filled with tears. He was now so close to her face that she could see every detail of his, from the haphazard stubble that lined his jaw to the slight crook in his nose, the obvious result of a tavern brawl. As he leant past her to whisper into her ear, Wendy attempted to control her breathing, not wanting to expose her fear. Failing miserably, the pirate chuckled, his warm, alcohol laced breath, tickling her neck.

"That's not what I meant."

Her skin turned as pale as snow as his lips came crushing down on hers. Trying to resist, but with little success, Wendy screamed as he bit her lip, forcing his tongue into her mouth and beginning to explore it as if only had seconds to live. Gasping as he pulled away, the aggravating smirk returned to the pirate's lips, his hand unravelling itself from Wendy's hair and beginning to pull at the top of her nightdress. In a split second Wendy had slapped him away and launched herself up onto the railing, almost falling back into the longboat she was able to land a well-timed kick upon her assailant, sending him sprawling backwards at the sudden impact. However, it wasn't enough to deter him and quick as a flash he had returned, pulling her back onto the deck and pinning her down with his body.

"How exciting! I do like my toys feisty. It makes killing them so much more pleasurable."

It was at this moment that Wendy gave up hope. No one was coming to rescue her, not this time. She was alone, she was scared and, if the vulture on top of her carried out his evil intentions, she would more than welcome the painful death that followed. After today's earlier events, she had no more tears to cry, and it was a defeated sigh that Wendy closed her eyes and prepared for her life to end.

Unbeknownst to both Wendy and her assailant, their commotion had not gone completely unnoticed. Ignoring both the Lookout, who had currently abandoned his post to get a better view of the assault, and the Boatswain, who, after a hard days fighting and manning the crew, had fallen into a deep slumber under the mast, there was one other pirate who had witnessed the disorder unfurling and, as a lover of Wendy's stories, Smee had immediately gone to tell the Captain of the situation, knowing that he would be the only one who could put an end to it. You see, although it can be argued that Hook himself varies between good and evil, depending, most prominently, on his mood at the time, Smee, in his own words, was 'not all bad'. True, he could plunder and kill just as well as the next pirate, however, upon meeting Wendy, there arose some sort of fatherly instinct within Smee; one that he welcomed with open arms. Although he could not recall a moment of his life before his arrival to Neverland, Wendy made him feel an inner calm and peacefulness that he had thought was impossible for a man such as himself and, as such, he was unable to resist his urge to protect her. Even if, on the surface, it was just in the hope of being able to hear another of her entrancing stories.

And so, as expected, Smee hurtled into Hook's cabin. Flustered, he hurried over to Hook, who was still sitting at the table, his hook still buried into it and his head so low that it appeared he was contemplating the same thing.

"Cap'n! Cap'n, come quick!"

Without moving a single inch, Hook sighed.

"What is it Smee?"

"It's the girl! She was going to leave and as she was getting into the longboat…"

This time, Hook lifted his head, glancing curiously towards his blubbering First Mate.

"Wendy? Wendy was leaving?"

More than a little frustrated, Smee groaned. "No, Princess Tiger Lily… Of course Wendy! But just as she was preparing to go…"

"Let her drown. I don't care."

He didn't mean it and Smee knew just as much, but the words still hit him hard and it was with both anger and the need to stop Hook from interrupting that Smee began to blurt out the remainder of his story.

"No Cap'n! As she was preparing to leave, one of the men approached her and believing her to be out of your protection…"

Yet again Hook interrupted, thankfully, this time with a loud crash as he leapt out of his chair and yanked his hook out of the table, splinters flying everywhere. Striding out of the cabin, Smee watched after him, sighing in a mix of frustration and relief, before hurrying out onto the deck.

By this point Wendy and the pirate had just fallen into the position we so distastefully left them at earlier. A loud ripping sound filled the night air as the pirate tore at Wendy's nightdress, a cold breeze assaulting her legs as he tore the material past her knees and up towards her thighs. There was little she could do as she felt his hand caress her calf, the other pinning her deftly to the floor by her neck, and begin to inch its way upwards, ignoring her pleas and whimpers.

Suddenly, a loud 'bang' burst towards them, hitting the pirate squarely in the back. Two more followed, prompting Wendy to exhale a deathly scream as the noise intensified and the man before her froze in his advances, his eyes glazing over before collapsing right on top of her hyperventilating body. Hook sprinted towards her, Smee close on his heels, and pulled the dead pirate off of her, throwing him over the ship's railing in one swift movement. Crouching down, he was given little time to prepare himself as Wendy sat up and subsequently collapsed into him, her body quivering as her breath shuddered and pitched, her heart beating so hard she could have sworn she was suffering some sort of attack. With only a slight hesitation, Hook relaxed, wrapping his arms around the woman before him, holding her cold frame tight against his warm body. Resting his chin gently on her tangled hair, Hook cast his gaze upwards towards the sky, blinking back the red that had begun to engulf his pupils as a new sensation began to take over, one he had never felt before: guilt.

They remained there for quite some time, Wendy consumed with fear and Hook, this new, strange feeling. Indeed, the scene was so heart rendering, that any spectator upon it would have thought that the two of them had simply frozen in time, not wishing to ever continue from this moment of ultimate tranquillity. It was only as a chill began to bite upon Wendy's exposed skin that Hook rose to his feet, taking her in his arms and began to carry her quivering body towards his cabin, Smee once more following close behind, but not before kicking the Boatswain awake and instructing him to re-join the rest of the slumbering crew down in the brig. The Lookout returned to his post, the only true witness to the night's events, and heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that if he had been spotted he too would now be decorating the seabed. It was with that, that peace fell once more upon the Jolly Roger, the waves rocking its inhabitants gently to and fro as the night sky twinkled down upon its form.

However, elsewhere the scene wasn't so peaceful. Across the skies and far, far away in a city where beggars and prostitutes lined the dark streets in hope of business, and the idea of peace was far from many imaginations, a young boy, who up until now had been tossing and turning in his sleep, vaulted upwards, a scream bursting from his lips.

"Michael, what's wrong?"

John awoke first, recognising his brother's cries instantly as he had heard them many times when the two were younger and Michael had been a heavy sufferer of night terrors. Nana was next to rise, barking once, softly, to calm the youngest child, before approaching his bed and, standing up onto her hind legs, nuzzling her warm face into the child's outstretched arms. Slowly, the other boys began to wake, some from Michael's shout and others from the growing whispers that began to echo through the room. Nibs was the last to open his eyes, although some could argue that he had never been asleep in the first place, and as usual, he remained as silent and as passive as ever as he turned his gaze towards Michael, who had now calmed down and was sitting up, wide awake and alert, one hand still resting on Nana's fur for comfort.

"What is it Michael? What did you dream about?" Tootles asked, anticipation, and the slightest hint of worry, lacing his tone.

Silence filled the nursery as Michael looked around at the other boys, every pair of eyes focused directly on him, enthusiastically awaiting his answer. Another minute passed before he was finally able to summon the words to his mouth, the vision still bright in his mind.

"It's… It's Wendy. I know where she is."

The boys gasped.

"Where?"

Before Michael was able to reply, another voice filled the room and quick as a flash all heads had turned towards Nibs.

"She's in Neverland. Hook has her."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **New Chapter! Thank you for the patience: this one has been so difficult! I hope you enjoy it and thanks to CaptainHooksGirl, Royalraven007, AvengersGirl-LokisSpy and Miss Savvy for your reviews on the last chapter. Keep them coming, they help so much! I also couldn't resist throwing in a little bit of the 2003 movie at the end. Have a good read!

Chapter 6

It had been precisely two nights since Wendy had disappeared from her bedroom in the cosy suburbs of London. As the third morning approached, bringing with it an unnerving fog that seemed to linger over the city's streets, an air of anticipation arose within the Darling household. Since Michael's abrupt awakening, the rest of the brothers had been unable to return to their slumber and had instead spent most of the early hours of the morning discussing what they were going to do in order to rescue Wendy from Hook's clutches. They had rather quickly come to the understanding that none of them had saved any fairy dust in case of the need to return to Neverland, and after a few bumps and bruises, and one particularly scary moment where Curly had jumped head first into Wendy's old dolls house and almost knocked himself unconscious, they had also come to the conclusion that none of them still possessed the power to fly, much to their disappointment.

"Well, how are we supposed to rescue Wendy if we can't even get to Neverland?"

Two hours later and still no answer had been found. Collapsing onto the bed with a sigh, John surveyed the ceiling of the nursery, detailing every twist and turn in the elegant design that engulfed it. As if in canon, the other boys followed suit, collapsing onto their respective beds and gazing up at the ceiling. Nana, as just as tired as the boys but not wanting to collapse in such an untidy manner, retreated to her basket with a sigh, resting her head on the edge as if to trick the boys into thinking she was still paying attention. After a few moments, during which the air was so thick with disappointment that an elephant could have entered and no one would have noticed, a soft knock sounded on the door.

"Nana, are the children awake?"

No one replied, but in truth Mary Darling had been listening to her children's discussion for quite some time.

Cracking the door open and stepping into the room with that air of grace that she couldn't help but exhibit everywhere she went, Mrs Darling smiled warmly as she cast her eyes over the exhausted children.

"Nana, did they not get enough sleep?"

Lifting her head, Nana let out a little whimper in response, rolling her eyes, if that is such a thing that dogs can do, before slumping back into her basket. With a laugh as beautiful as a new born child's, Mrs Darling made her way over to Michael's bed, at which the child himself had sat up and was now looking intensely into his Mother's eyes.

"Mother?"

"Yes, my child?"

"Do you believe in Neverland?"

At this point, one by one, the six other children slowly raised their heads to gaze in Michael's direction, intrigued as to what their Mother's answer may be. Being the careful Mother that she was, Mrs Darling hesitated, knowing she couldn't divulge the extent of which she had explored Neverland as a child, as all dreams of that nature must be put away before becoming an adult and revisiting them would depress even the toughest of souls.

"I did once Michael, but I'm afraid I had to stop a long time ago, just as you should," she turned outwards to address the rest of the boys, "just as all of you should: you are all becoming much too old for Neverland."

"But…"

Before Michael could continue in his protest, Nibs had interrupted. "Yes Mother, you're right."

After a short pause, Mrs Darling cast a weary glance at the children, her eyes travelling over each one's form, from the youngest to the eldest, each of them in turn catching her eye before turning away. Addressing no one in particular, Mrs Darling spoke. "I find that when I am troubled with something no one else can help me with, I look to the stars for guidance." With a sigh, she stood up and left, leaving the children to their own devices. They watched her go, one by one turning their attention to her words, which were now hanging delicately in front of their eyes, trying to understand the meaning behind the riddle.

At this very moment a soft glimmer of light managed to squeeze through a gap in the nursery's curtains. Jumping up and down it began to explore this mysterious new room, creeping over the floor, startling itself in the mirror and chasing Nana's tail before settling in a hover on Tootles' bed. Slowly, Tootles' turned towards it, as if attempting not to scare it off. With a whisper, he called the other boys over, each of them hurrying to his bedside where they gazed down in wonder at the shimmering ball of light.

"What is it?" One twin asked.

"It looks like a magic." The other replied.

"It can't be a magic! Magic doesn't just appear."

"Yes, it does!"

"No, it doesn't!"

"Stop!" Just as quickly as their argument had begun, the twins silenced themselves, turning to face Curly, whose normally relaxed fists were clenched tight.

"It's not a magic." The second twin stuck his tongue out at the first, and as quick as a flash they had descended into a much quitter brawl. This time ignoring them, Curly looked up at the other boys surrounding him.

"What is it then?"

John's question remained unanswered for quite some time, lingering in the air like a stale smell. Every boy's gaze was transfixed to the ball of light, some so intensely that after a minute or two they were able to notice something within the light, jumping up and down and producing a sound similar to that of a bell. Michael's throat dried up as he suddenly realised what was before him, the memories rushing back into his small mind so fast that at first the other boys thought his sudden outburst of stuttering was a panic attack.

"It's, it's, it's…"

"What?!" They interrupted in unison, all eyes now on Michael.

"It's a fairy!"

"A fairy?"

"Yes, and her name is…"

However, that memory had not quite returned to Michael's mind and it was with a sigh that he shook his head, giving up.

"…I can't remember."

"Her name is Tinker Bell."

As if on cue, the ball of light began to jump up and down, jingling happily at Nib's words. The boys looked on in wonder as Tink flew around them in joy, having had quite enough of them not remembering who she was. She landed on Tootles' shoulder and, stomping her foot to get the attention of the boys, not that the action was necessary for they were already engrossed by her every movement, she began to whisper hurriedly into Tootles' ear.

"She says that Peter is in trouble, and that he needs our help!"

The twins jumped to attention, almost knocking Tink off her perch.

"Peter's in trouble?"

Again, Tootles was left to translate.

"Hook isn't dead anymore and he has a whole new crew who are more dangerous than ever!"

The uproar that followed this was almost enough to drown out Tootles' next words, but not quite.

"She says that someone else has returned too… Red Handed Jill!"

John stopped in his tracks. "Red Handed Jill? But Red Handed Jill was Wendy."

Michael chimed in, "It's just like I saw in my dream: Hook has Wendy!"

All of a sudden, Tootles gasped at Tinker Bell's requests.

"But Tink, Wendy would never be a pirate!"

"Wendy's a pirate?"

Again, the boys descended into uproar, each one trying to argue Wendy's innocence amongst Tinker Bell's protests. Eventually however, the fairy won out, as to be expected. After all, fairies are so small that they can only hold one emotion at a time, and Tink, who had always regarded Wendy with a strong dislike, could have continued with her argument for a very long time. And so, it was with a sigh that Curly sat on the edge of Tootles' bed, watching Tink rant as she flew around their heads angrily, miming her words as if they weren't clear enough to begin with.

"Maybe she has gone back to Neverland to be a pirate."

"After all, she wasn't happy here. Especially with Aunt Millicent and Mother and Father trying to find her a husband to marry." John agreed.

"Marry?" Michael protested as he too collapsed onto Tootles' bed in dismay. "Poor Wendy. I don't ever want to marry: not now, not ever!"

At his comment a few of the boys began to giggle until almost everyone was laughing, including Michael. In fact, the only boy who didn't join in the moment of joy was Nibs, who had frozen in his spot as his mind ticked over the day's events and discoveries.

"Perhaps she didn't want to grow up anymore."

Silence resumed once more among the children, each one contemplating Nibs' words.

"But Wendy has grown up, we all have."

Sadly, they all agreed, even Michael, who at the age of ten was just beginning to discover the pressures of adulthood, but still retained his position as the baby of the family, understood John's words.

"What can we do?"

Tink rose into the air, preparing to begin her plea to the boys, for, despite her jealousy of Wendy and her wish to get her removed from Neverland as soon as possible, Peter, although he didn't realise it, was in trouble: Hook was back and this time he was able to use Wendy's fading innocence to hurt him more than ever. She had to stop them before it was too late and the only ones that could help, and restore Peter's memory, were the Lost Boys, for they knew Peter more than anyone else. The boys gazed up at her in wonder as she explained her plan, not daring to question her until she had finished in fear of her tiny mind losing her train of thought. Eventually however, Tink had finished and took in a deep breath to highlight the fact. After a moment's pause, Curly spoke.

"But how are we going to get to Neverland Tink? We already tried flying but none of us can remember!"

The other boys nodded their heads in agreement, turning anxiously towards Tink. Landing on the edge of Tootles' bed she began to pace up and down the frame, tapping her chin as she concentrated hard to find a solution. Suddenly, as if a light bulb had appeared above her, Tink jumped into the air, circling the room in one swift movement, her arms spread wide as if to mimic the way the children had flown when with Peter. As she glided through the air a small sprinkling of dust fell from Tink's wings, covering the children in a fine layer of powder that, apart from its ability to make them sneeze, would have gone unnoticed by them all.

"It's fairy dust!"

"Yes! We need fairy dust to make us fly. How could we forget?"

As the glorious memories of Neverland and the boy's adventures finally filtered through their minds, each one began to slowly rise off the ground, giggling joyfully as they bumped against the ceiling of the nursery and circled each other, looking down at their beds as they hovered gleefully above them. Nana rose angrily from her basket, having not appreciated it the first time she had witnessed Michael, John and Wendy fly around the nursery, and certainly not enjoying it now that the seven children were doing precisely that. Preparing to alert the Darling's with a series of short barks, Nana stopped herself, realising that no matter how hard she tried, the children would still escape her grasp. And so, it was with a sigh of resignation that she slumped back into her basket, secretly wishing that perhaps, one day, she might be able to fly too.

Unfortunately for Nana, her wish came true quicker than expected. As the children settled upon the windowsill, ready to fly out over the midday London skies towards the second star on the right, and eventually Neverland, Tink lifted into the air above the exhausted dog, shaking the excess fairy dust off of her clothes. The twins gasped as a surprised Nana rose into the air, her paws waving in all directions as she frantically tried to return herself to the ground. In shock, she began to bark loudly, her distressed calls echoing through the Darling household, much to the children's horror.

"Quick, we have to go!"

"But what about Mother… and Father!" Michael counter argued, "What will they think of us disappearing?"

The boys thought for a moment, until eventually Nibs spoke up.

"Peter needs us."

"And think of the adventure!"

"Think of the fun we'll have!" The twins gaped.

Curly smiled. "Wouldn't it be wonderful to return to Neverland?"

It was at this precise moment that Mrs Darling, who until now had returned patiently to Mr Darlings side in the day room, alerted herself to Nana's barking.

"Whatever could be the matter?" She queried, rising from her seat.

Mr Darling rose too, pushing his reading glasses further up his nose as he listened quietly.

"It couldn't be… could it?"

The pieces of the puzzle suddenly flew together in Mrs Darling's mind: the children's quietness, their questioning of Neverland, their unusual early morning activities. Almost knocking over the small side table that she had rested their midday tea upon, Mrs Darling hurried to the door, Mr Darling close on her heels.

The two of them hurried up the stairs as fast as possible, tragic thoughts filling their minds, all too aware of what had happened last time they had heard Nana in such distress. It would be more than delightful to report that they reached the nursery in time, particularly after the horror that had been inflicted upon them during their children's previous disappearance… but then, there would be no story. Or at the least, it will have not ended in the most triumphant but saddened manner that this one does.

Once again, as Mr and Mrs Darling burst into the nursery, the children had flown the nest, leaving the nursery windows wide open and a certainly distraught Nana hovering three feet above the floor. At their entrance she fell back into her basket with a loud thump, rushing over to Mrs Darling in order to assure her that the children would be home soon. Of course, dogs cannot speak English in the same manner than humans cannot understand the canine language and it passed that Nana's reassurance did nothing to allay Mrs Darling's worries.

And so it came to pass that the Lost Boys returned to Neverland, with John and Michael not too far behind; all on a mission to restore Peter's memory and rescue Wendy from Hook's clutches. Although, as I am sure you are beginning to realise about now, her need to be rescued was lessening at the passing of each and every day.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **New Chapter! Again, I can only apologize for how long this has taken to write and release. I can promise you however that there will ALWAYS be another chapter on the way (until the story finishes, of course) and I will try to be a little more organised and get them out to you sooner. Please rate and review, each one inspires me to write more so the more you do it, the quicker the chapters'll come out! Thanks again to CaptainHooksGirl and AvengersGirl-LokisSpy for your reviews. Hope you enjoy this one!

Chapter 7

"Wendy? Wendy?"

Her eyes slowly fluttered open at the calling of her name, revealing Smee's stout figure to be leaning cautiously over Wendy's as she uncurled herself from her sleeping position.

"You had quite the fright yesterday, didn't you Miss?"

Casting her mind back to the previous day's events for a second, because any longer may have resulted in her bursting into tears, Wendy nodded, slowly looking around her in order to absorb her surroundings. She was positioned rather delicately on Hook's bed, exactly where he had placed her the previous night, but the Captain himself was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Hoo... Where's the Captain?"

Stepping back as she sat up, Smee gestured to the cabin door.

"The Cap'n's up on the deck, Miss. He'll be glad to know you're awake."

Smee began to make his exit as Wendy contemplated his words. It was only as he reached the door that Wendy returned from her subconscious.

"Smee?"

"Yes Miss?"

"Give the Captain my thanks for looking after me last night."

"Of course I shall Miss. Enjoy your breakfast."

Wendy slowly stood as Smee made his exit, casting her eyes over to Hook's exquisite gilded desk, which had laid upon it a beautiful breakfast of lightly fried bread and a delicious looking poached egg. Realising she was hungrier that she had originally contemplated, Wendy hurried over to the desk, taking a seat in the beautiful velvet lined chair that waited patiently for her presence, and began to eat, savouring each and every mouthful just in case she was to never experience this type of food again. However, something inside her told her otherwise: the beauty of living upon a pirate ship had only just begun, even if, at the furthest extent, she was just a prisoner of the Captain's, something had changed within their acquaintanceship and now nothing was to be the same ever again.

It was another ten minutes before Wendy was ready to exit the cabin. Only just remembering that she was looking rather indecent, for her nightdress was ripped rather high up her thigh, on her exit she picked up Hook's brocade coat, which either he or Smee had draped neatly over the end of the bed, and slipped into it, hugging the material around her as it far too large to wear normally.

As she stepped out onto the deck, Wendy surveyed the darkened sky above her. Ever since her unfortunate rendezvous with Peter, the skies over Neverland had descended into a depressing grey mulch of thick dark clouds and the occasional but abrupt onslaught of heavy rain. It seemed that as long as Peter was in turmoil, Neverland was too. The mere thought of it send a cold shiver down Wendy's spine, and to comfort herself, she pulled the coat tighter around her waist.

"Good morning, Miss Darling, or should I say, good afternoon. You're not cold are you?"

Hook's presence startled Wendy, for until that moment she had assumed she was alone on deck. Blushing slightly at his words, she carefully made her way over to the Captain.

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you Captain. I hope you don't mind, but my nightdress was damaged last night when…"

Wendy's words came to a halt as her mind drifted back to the previous night's events. Hook watched as they lingered between them before collapsing onto the deck with a crush, a shiver coursing through Wendy as the memories infiltrated her.

"Did you enjoy your breakfast?"

The distraction technique worked, for Wendy broke the connection with her subconscious at Hook's question, looking up at him inquisitively. Resisting the urge to giggle, for she had only ever witnessed one man attempt small talk (her father, and we _all _know how that adventure ended!), she instead smiled softly, replying that the meal had been most delicious.

"Good."

For the second time in only a few minutes, an uneasy silence broke out between the two of them. Wendy's gaze flittered downwards and Hook cleared his throat awkwardly. Thankfully, Smee chose this moment to make his presence known, much to their relief.

"Cap'n, the men are all ready. We're just awaiting your order and then we shall head for the mainland."

Hook merely nodded in response, eventually tearing his vision from Wendy in order to command Smee.

"Thank you Smee. Set a course for the Black Castle, but first we need to visit the Black Widow."

"Yes, Cap'n."

With that, Smee was gone, leaving Hook and Wendy to return to their awkward silence. It didn't remain for long though, for now Wendy was plagued with questions of their destination.

"Why are we going to the Black Castle?" A memory flashed into Wendy's mind of the last time she had encountered this terrifying place: a deserted, rotting castle situated somewhere in the middle of the Death Sea, where Hook often tortured his hostages into revealing their secrets before diminishing their hope and leaving them to drown. With a deep breath, she pushed the thought from her mind, believing that if that was to be her fate, she would already be aware of it. "And who is the Black Widow?"

Turning away from her, Hook began to busy himself with the map and compass resting on the railing before him.

"The Black Widow is an old witch who lives in the darkest corner of Neverland's deepest forest. She will provide you with some new garments to wear."

"Thank you."

Hook seemed to freeze at Wendy's gratitude, which she politely ignored, another question instead filling her mind. He had neglected to give the reason for their journey to the Black Castle. Instead of following up the thought, Wendy moved on, turning to watch Smee as he bustled about the deck, making sure the men were at their correct stations. Another burst of wind brushed past her legs, reminding Wendy just how indecent she must have looked. Unconsciously she took a step away from the railing, fearing that the pirates below her may glance up and get more of a sight than they were expecting to witness. In her haste, she bumped directly into Hook, biting her lip as she muttered an apology and turned away, once again looking out across the deck.

Wendy sighed, her stomach scrunching up almost painfully as a new feeling came over her. True, she still didn't feel safe within her current predicament, but something had changed: the hostility between Hook and her had faded, leaving something else, something the young, innocent Wendy could have never contemplated. Something Wendy knew all too well that Peter could never achieve, and the thought of it both sickened and excited her.

* * *

"Peter! Peter look!"

"What is it?" the boy in question cried, jumping off of the tree he had been perching ever so precariously on and landing on the ground as lightly as an autumn leaf would upon detaching itself from its mother-tree. Turning his head in the direction the other boys were facing, Peter began to search for the mysterious occurrence.

"I don't see anything… this is a boring game."

"No, Peter! Look over there, towards the edge of the woods. It's coming over the hill, look!"

Peter furrowed his brow and squinted as hard as he possibly could. It was then that he finally saw the unusual shape approaching them, whatever it was casting a formidable shadow over the trees in the early morning sunlight. The youngest boy gasped.

"Is it a monster, Peter?"

Peter laughed, his tone slightly arrogant in that childish manner, as he ridiculed the boy's worry.

"No! It's Tink, and she's brought someone with her."

At that moment the sun lifted and flashed into the children's eyes. When the brightness had cleared they could all make out a joyous Tinker Bell dancing through the sky as she made her way towards them. Following her closely was not in face one person, but seven, each looking around in wonder at the beauty that encased Neverland. Suddenly, one of the boys spotted something, pointing excitedly in the direction of Peter. At once, all of them started to run towards him, laughing and cheering as they called his name. Tinker Bell reached Peter first.

"Tink! What's going on?"

The fairy danced jubilantly and gestured towards the group of approaching boys.

"I don't understand Tink. Who are these boys? They're too old to be lost."

"Peter, don't you remember us?" John spoke, having somehow, for we know John not to have such a high tolerance for running, reached Peter first of all the boys. He held his hand out to shake Peter's, at which point the boy flinched, staring blankly down at the unusual greeting lingering before him. They stood in silence for a moment, frozen in awkwardness. By this point the other boys had too reached Peter, and were catching their breath as they admired the boy before them, looking every inch as young and childlike as he had when they had left Neverland.

"But Peter, it's us: Curly, Tootles, Nibs and the Twins." Tootles cried.

"And John and Michael, from the nursery." John added.

Peter frowned. "Who?"

"The Lost Boys!" They all cried simultaneously.

Peter's hands rose to his hips, anger lacing his voice.

"You are not the Lost Boys," he declared, "These are the Lost Boys."

Peter's new companions stood tall, until this moment having only a little interest in the unravelling argument before them. Curly began to protest, "But we _are_ the Lost Boys… well, we were the Lost Boys at least. We returned to London not four years ago with Wendy but…"

His words were cut short by Peter who, in a flash, had withdrawn his dagger at the utterance of Wendy's name.

"The grown-up!"

Michael gasped, "You've seen her?"

For a split second Peter thought of simply not answering. His mind exploded with the image of chasing the seven intruders as far away from Neverland as possible, and then banishing them so that they could never disturb and confuse him again. Then, however, the questions started to fill his mind.

"Who are you all and what do you want?"

Tootles stepped forward, scrutinising Peter with his gaze as he attempted to explain.

"We used to be your friends Peter. You rescued us many, many years ago, when we fell out of our prams when the nurses weren't looking! We used to live with you in the 'home under the ground' with Tinker Bell too, and we fought the pirates and the Indians every day until we got bored of playing. Then you found Wendy…" Peter jabbed his dagger slightly towards Tootles at the repetition of Wendy's name, to which the boy merely raised his hands in defence. After a moment Peter nodded for him to continue, withdrawing his weapon only ever so slightly.

Tootles cleared his throat. "Then you found … and Michael and John too, and you brought them here. Then we defeated Hook once and for all!"

The seven boys cheered triumphantly, their excitement only receding at the look on Peter's face. He gestured once more for Tootles to finish.

"And then… then we decided to leave Neverland."

"Why?" Peter questioned, his voice no more than a harsh croak. Silence ensued.

Finally Curly replied. "We wanted another adventure, one you can't get here."

"And what would that be, Neverland is full of adventures!"

"We wanted the adventure of growing up."

Like an animal, Peter had pounced on Curly, his teeth bared menacingly.

"Growing up is _not _an adventure," he screamed, "it's a curse!"

Before any harm could come to either of the boys, or indeed any of them, for the rest of the Lost Boys, old and new, had taken a fighting stance, Tinker Bell flew in between Curly and Peter, miming frantically towards both of them in order to regain peace. The two boys stared intently into each other eyes, as if trying to outwit each other through telepathy, despite neither of them being able to read minds. After a moment they gave up, Curly relenting first in order, as I'm sure he would have protested, to allow Peter to retain his ego.

"So why are you here?"

Curly looked around, deciding that he should answer to avoid the others falling under Peter's scrutiny. However, just as he was about to, another voice piped up from the back of the group, causing everyone to turn around to its owner in surprise. Nibs, the most battle hardened of all of them, including Peter, stepped into the empty space between the old Lost Boys and their new counterparts. Scratching his nose nonchalantly, he cast his gaze up to Peter, locking eyes with the boy he had once thought of as his mentor.

"Tinker Bell brought us here, to help you and," he glanced up towards Tink momentarily, "to help rescue Wendy too."

Tink jingled in agreement, although it was clear that she had no intention of Wendy being 'rescued', just 'removed' from Neverland for good, whatever that entailed.

Standing proud, Peter crossed his arms, refusing to relent. "What are you talking about? I don't need help."

The silence that followed was enough to simulate the idea that none of the visitors agreed with Peter's words. At the realisation of this, Peter flew, quite literally, into a terrible rage, kicking off from the ground and darting above everyone's heads.

"You're lying to me, all of you!" He screamed. "Go away and never come back again!"

Tootles looked up, begging him for forgiveness, though what his crime was he wasn't quite sure. "We're not lying, Peter! Trust us. We used to be your friends."

"Please believe us, Peter!" The twins cried.

"We'll help you defeat Hook and get rid of the grown up," Nibs whispered, the breeze carrying his words directly into Peter's ears.

Peter scowled, landing with a thud and began to pace in front of the boys, wondering how much these mysterious figures knew about him and his time in Neverland. For the first time well… ever, he allowed himself to be distracted by a thorn as it pierced into the bare skin of his sole. With a slight wince, he removed the offending cause of his pain and then glared back at the boys before him. Another feeling of similarity washed through his body and he grimaced. How was it possible that Neverland had been completely his, with no hidden secrets, until only a few days ago, and then two mysteries had appeared almost simultaneously? He didn't like it, not one bit. However, there was also nothing he could do about it and the mysteries were just that, mysterious. And what young boy doesn't like to play detective and solve a mystery?

"Fine!" He muttered angrily, before an idea suddenly sprung into his not so innocent mind. "But first you need to be tested to prove your loyalty to me. Boys, prepare the row boat, we're going to the Black Castle!"

As the new Lost Boys made their exit followed hesitantly by their new 'guests', Peter fell behind them, summoning Nibs to his side.

"Do you have a plan, Nibs?"

"Aye, Peter, and it's already working."

Peter's brow furrowed. "How do you know?"

Nibs smiled, the first smile he had truly meant in many years. "You remembered my name." Then he was gone, running to catch up with the other boys.

Peter stopped in his tracks, trying to recall when Nibs had directly told him his name. He had been referenced, of course, but not once had he been directly pointed out amongst the group of strangers. The sky darkened as Peter tried to banish the pursuing thought from his mind.

_If he knew Nibs' name, and had therefore forgotten it and Nibs himself too, what else had he forgotten?_

The thought alone was enough to send his mind into overdrive.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Helloo! I really would love to hear your views on this chapter. I've decided to deviate a little from my original plan and this, and the next chapter, are the result of my cruelty! There's a little bit of what you've all been waiting for in this chapter but I wasn't going to let Hook break that easily, or Wendy for that matter, so there's a massive twist thrown in there too. (Don't be too mad at me for it!) So yeah, would love to hear your thoughts, because my lovely reviewers CaptainHooksGirl and Tarah Draconiger are the reason this has been written so quickly, your reviews truly inspire me to keep on writing. Enjoy!

Chapter 8

Not too much later Wendy found herself perched uncomfortably on a rotting, splinter-filled stool, glancing tentatively up at the spindly woman before her with a questionable gaze. Her body was large and bloated and she had both a round belly and a generous bosom, but what surprised, and scared, Wendy the most were her matchstick arms and legs. The way in which the old lady moved her limbs only added to Wendy's perception of her: she was not dissimilar to a spider, particularly in the way her limbs seemed to move as one as she crossed and weaved around the poor girl before her, loose threads trailing behind as if she were crafting a web. Wendy supposed the appearance was somehow attributed to her name, although she had never had the misfortune to meet a black widow spider, she was sure the woman before her resembled one rather well.

The old woman was kind though, if a little creepy. She had banished Hook from the room, much to Wendy's relief, and set to work on her subject almost instantly, muttering stories of her past and combining them with questions for Wendy and observations about her character.

"You seem all too nice to be conversing with pirates, don't you missy?"

Wendy didn't answer for a moment, allowing the question to hang within the cobwebs that adorned the ceiling of the Black Widow's hut. She grimaced as she caught sight of a real spider in one of them, busying itself with some poor defenceless fly that had inadvertently doomed itself by flying into its perilous trap.

"I didn't have much of a choice to be honest. Hook kidnapped me."

The widow opened her mouth as if to speak but then shut it just as speedily, deciding not to get herself too involved as to not be targeted as well.

"You must be a rather special little hostage if the Cap'n's come to _me _in order to get you new clothes."

"What do you mean?"

The old woman let out a laugh which almost knocked Wendy off her stool. It sounded like a mix between a dog howling and a mermaid crying, and the way her mouth gaped open to reveal her rot encased teeth was enough to make Wendy feel queasy.

"I don't come cheap, missy! These clothes are gonna cost that Cap'n a pretty penny, and he knows it!"

She sat in contemplation as the woman continued to sew and prance about her, obeying mutely as she was instructed to stand and fabric was measured up against her body and pinned against her nightdress. Wendy had to admit, for the aura of insanity that drifted around this woman like the smell of death at a funeral, she was actually rather careful with her sewing and didn't manage to accidentally stab her subject once. Part of her was almost a little sad when the woman finally turned to her, garment in hand and thrust it into Wendy's lap.

"Try it."

She did, and it fitted perfectly. The old woman smiled once more and Wendy returned the gesture meekly. Hook was let back in and the debt was settled, although Wendy did notice that the Captain's hook was looking rather polished and menacing today. She wasn't the only one to notice either, as the Black Widow occasionally shifted her glance down towards the weapon. It was more than apparent that its presence unnerved the woman, however, thankfully, the need for it use did not arise.

"The others'll be ready tomorrow. Get one of your slackers to come and pick them up, you know I can't leave the forest."

Hook nodded quietly and then they had left, leaving the old woman behind to mutter to herself as she continued to sew and craft.

It was around this time that Wendy had begun to notice subtle changes in Hook's demeanour. When he was in a good mood he swung his hook with a certain vigour, as if he wished for it to _accidentally _claw someone. When his mood decreased however, his entire body tensed, every effort he exerted becoming precise and measured: if he chose to strike, if there was indeed a choice to be made, then he would, and no mortal could stop him. Either way, Wendy summarised as she watched him admire the Jolly Roger for a moment before boarding. Either way, he was a rather lethal man to associate with: friend or foe.

He turned back for a moment, ushering Wendy to follow, fire dancing in his eyes. She hesitantly obeyed, her mind still resting on the clouds far above them. He was different with her though. He wasn't caring, but neither was he dismissive of her, constantly making sure she was by his side. Stumbling up the last few steps of the gangplank, her not yet entirely accustomed to her new boots, Wendy sighed. Hook was an enigma, he had been when she was a child, and he still was now. Some things had certainly not changed.

Not on the surface anyhow.

They reached the deck in silence, the pirates who had not accompanied them on their mini-adventure eyeing Wendy with interest as she made her way past them. For a moment she had the certain urge to smile at them, after all, she looked rather fitting her new dress, especially in the way it clung to her in all the right places. Thankfully, it was just as modest as any other garment she had ever owned, with the linen skirt falling down to her calves. It was the dark leather corset, however, that helped to accentuate Wendy's assets, especially in the way the blouse underneath it was cut off at the shoulder, leaving her neckline and cleavage bare. At first she had detested it, believing it had made her look cheap and improper. But her mind had quickly changed when Hook had gazed upon her for the first time, a look somewhere between surprise and affection hiding in the far recesses of his eyes. For some strange reason, the thought of him liking her appearance had sent a wave of happiness through Wendy's body, and her feelings of discontent at her new attire had disappeared almost instantly. The feelings began to return as the other pirates, less honourable in their intentions, began to divert their gaze onto her, however they were coupled with another: the knowledge of her looking appealing. The thought almost made Wendy giggle, but then she remembered where she was and thankfully, decided against it. She was not going to bait the men before her like some kind of gypsy dancer; she had made the mistake of breaching Hook's protection before, and she didn't intend to do it again.

"Set a course for the Black Castle, and hoist the topsail Smee, I would like to be there before sundown."

"Yes, Cap'n."

Hook's words brought Wendy out of her subconscious in an instant, and she watched on with intrigue as Smee relayed the Captain's orders to the rest of the crew. As he turned to Wendy his lips twitched into a smile, extending his hand so she could take it.

"Come with me."

Wendy remained still, her eyebrows furrowed as a lingering thought brought itself to the front of her mind.

"You didn't answer my question."

For a split second Hook froze, shock lacing his features, but just as fast he relaxed, a soft smirk lingering at the corner of his lips as a witty retort sprang to mind.

"Why, Wendy my dear, you ask so many, it's difficult to keep up!"

"Why are we going to the Black Castle?" Wendy reminded him, her tone hesitant but strong. Hook paused for a moment, as if considering whether to answer her or not. His moustache twitched.

"You will see soon enough."

With that he was gone, his coat fluttering in the mid-afternoon breeze as he made his way towards his cabin. Wendy paused for a moment, digesting his words, before hurrying after him.

"What do you mean by that? Surely it is not too difficult to just tell me?"

Hook didn't answer, although it was clear to see that there was a fury building inside him. Wendy cried persistently, "I demand that you answer me!"

He had turned on his heel before she had any chance to regret her outburst, grabbing her bare shoulders to stop her from slamming into him. He growled threateningly, the slits that were his pupils glaring down at her.

"I am the one who gives the orders around here. Perhaps you should learn some respect before I decide that your presence is no longer needed."

Wendy's heart fell through her stomach, fear flooding her senses. What had just happened?

Hook seemed to read her mind. "You forget, Miss Darling, that you are here by my doing. Just because I am offering you a certain courtesy, do not forget who I am or why you are here."

It was with these words that Wendy's hate for Hook returned. How had she ever softened to her personality? The monster before her had not changed at all; he was merely playing cruel tricks with her mind. He was not worthy of her attention, even if he had saved her life… he was the one who had endangered it in the first place.

The next few hours passed solemnly, Wendy refusing to speak to Hook and Hook, in turn, refusing to speak to Wendy. Smee tried unsuccessfully to lighten the mood, finding excuses to withdraw Hook from his cabin in order to give Wendy some time alone. Each time he returned however, the tension seemed to reach unbearable levels. On the Hook's penultimate return, a mere five minutes passed before Wendy could bare the silence no longer. She stood up, striding over to Hook, who was pretending to work diligently at his desk, and cleared her throat.

"What?" He replied, angrily, hastily scratching out a comment he had written on the corner of his parchment.

"If you are mad with me, then why have you not locked me in the brig again?"

He raised his head but didn't turn to face her. Wendy could imagine a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth.

"If you desire to be locked up, then I will happily oblige."

He began to turn, slowly and painfully. Wendy winced, "No!" After a slight pause, he relaxed once more, returning to his writings.

"I… I just would like to know why I am here. You could catch Peter without my help, you have before and you will once I am gone."

For a moment or two, there was no answer, and Wendy wasn't sure whether he had heard her or not. Then, with a sigh, he rose from his chair, turning to face the woman before him.

"Perhaps you are here for reasons other than the capture of dear old _Peter Pan_."

The tone of his voice was more than clear; he wanted her to be quiet. However, curiosity had once more filled Wendy's thoughts, and try as she might, she just couldn't put it at bay.

Her voice softened to a whisper. "What do you mean?"

Hook strode away from her and towards the window of his cabin, using his hook to tear open the red velvet curtains and reveal the steady waters of the ocean becoming slowly lost in the darkening sky. He remained there, his back once again addressing Wendy.

"Dying is not in my best interests Wendy, and I would like to think that killing is something I reserve for only my lesser foes."

Wendy's eyebrows rose, her breath catching in her throat as she remembered some of the death's she had witnessed upon her last visit.

"Neverland is ruled by Pan's presence. When he is away the water turns to ice and snow covers the ground, and when he returns Spring breaks and the warmth of the sun returns with him. When he is happy, Neverland is bright. When he grows angry, storms descend upon the sky and wreak havoc on the island, and when he is sad…"

"…it snows."

Hook turned, his eyes catching Wendy's gaze. He nodded.

"Precisely. Without Pan, Neverland would not exist, and neither would its inhabitants."

"Not even you?"

He pursed his lips, the silence confirming his unsaid answer.

"Whilst it is possible to kill Pan, as you have previously discovered, killing either him or me only results in memory loss and a return from limbo. The only way to truly kill Pan would be to die also and I do not intend for that to happen."

Questions flooded Wendy's mind. There was no loophole, no catch to Hook's dilemma, how was he remaining so calm when faced with such an unavoidable fate?

"Why use me to capture Peter when you can't kill him?"

"There are greater ways to destroy a man than killing them."

Wendy froze in her thoughts, not noticing that Hook had begun to approach her. She stuttered, the words in her head refusing to form coherent sentences. When she finally did speak, the words came out no louder than a whisper.

"What are you going to do to him?"

His hand grazed her cheek, making Wendy jump in shock at his presence. She didn't move however, standing strong as Hook's face inched closer to hers. A chuckle escaped his lips.

"First he must remember."

His finger lingered on her cheek, stroking her soft skin.

"I am not a strong enough stimulus, but you, my dead, are just perfect."

She hadn't noticed the tears begin to well in her eyes until one escaped and rolled down her cheek. He caught it without a moment's hesitation, using the cuff of his sleeve to wipe the sadness away. He lifted his hook to her chin, the cool metal sending a shiver down Wendy's spine. The action was not intended to be threatening however, despite the fact that his words were, and indeed Wendy felt a slight touch of comfort as he softly caressed her, his hand moving to stroke her brunette locks.

"And when he has remembered?" Wendy exhaled.

Hook inched his face closer to hers, his lips brushing her forehead, then cheek, and finally her own lips. Slowly his pressed his mouth against hers and, after finding no resistance, Hook strengthened the kiss, his hand delicately holding the back of Wendy's head as his hook rested on her shoulder. Wendy, torn somewhere between needing to break the kiss and run as far away from Hook as possible, and wanting to remain in their embrace forever, eventually gave in, her eyes fluttering shut as she allowed curiosity, and the urge that had slowly been possessing her mind over the last day or so, to take over.

After a moment that Wendy could only describe as 'forever, but still not long enough', Hook broke the embrace, his face hovering in front of Wendy's as he surveyed her expression. She opened her eyes slowly, entranced by what had just happened but acutely aware that his intentions may not have matched hers. They held each other's gaze for a while, until the beginnings of a smirk began to form on Hooks' lips. The smirk widened to a grin as a look of confusion and horror filled Wendy's features.

"When he has remembered, I will destroy his hope."

Wendy sighed, "And how do you intend to do that?"

Silence filled the room as Hook broke away from her, walking briskly towards the cabin door. She turned slowly to watch him, trying to piece the clues together but unable to come to a rational answer to her question. At the door, Hook stopped, pausing momentarily before spinning back to face Wendy, evil lacing his eyes. He smiled.

"Enjoy your stay, Wendy, _darling_."

With that he left the cabin, the door clicking as he turned the key in the lock, trapping Wendy inside, all alone with only her thoughts for company. It didn't take long for the message to sink in.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **I cannot apologise enough for this release being so long! There are so many annoying reasons why but the simple one is: I rewrote and procrastinated on this one a lot! I cannot thank you guys enough for your patience and believe me, it will be rewarded! As a thank you, there will be a new chapter up every day this week, from today (Tuesday) to Friday, which will sadly, put us towards the end of the story but I hope you enjoy it as it nears its end. As of yet, I have an ending but am debating whether to make it truly happy or happy but in a sad way (the former being rather AU and the latter allowing the story of Peter Pan to continue in the way the original did), so I would love to hear your opinions! After all, this story is as much yours as it is mine. Anyway, thanks to my fantastic reviewers: Claire97, CaptainHooksGirl, RevDorothyL, Tarah Draconiger and WWE'sPyroDevil36, you guys are amazing! As always, enjoy and don't hesitate to tell me what you think!

Chapter 9

The first thing Wendy Darling did upon Hook's exit was stagger back into the chair he had occupied moments before. Thoughts were spinning inside her head as every emotion, from fear to hatred to sympathy and even affection ran through her heart. For a few minutes she sat in a stupor, barely comprehending the world around her. He who had haunted her dreams since she had first seen those cold piercing, dangerous eyes, had kissed her and she had not pulled back in fear or hatred, nor refused his advance in any way. In fact, part of her had liked it, the way his rough lips had caressed hers, the stubble on his chin scratching lighting against her soft skin whilst his hand held her against him, giving her little room to escape even if she had desired to. Indeed, the experience had almost been pleasurable, or rather, had been, until Hook's revelation had torn Wendy's heart in two. It was with this thought that Wendy finally broke down, shielding her head in her arms and slumping, most un lady-like, over Hook's desk, her body shaking uncontrollably as she began to weep.

* * *

Hook sighed as he locked the cabin door, the touch of Wendy's soft lips still tingling against his own as he prepared to leave the Jolly Roger in order to explore the Black Castle. He paused at the door for a moment, looking sternly into the wood as if he could see Wendy beyond it. A small chuckle left his lips, she hadn't made a sound, which was must unusual of her, especially after such a deception. A sudden thought sprang to mind. Perhaps his plan has begun to work more speedily than he had thought it would? Indeed, he had considered the idea foolish at first, something that a strong minded woman such as Wendy Darling who would certainly not fall for, but she had, and this only served to confuse Hook, for, without him even realising it, the softness of Wendy's heart and the beauty of her character had slowly begun to make his plan fall apart at the very seams. Of course, Hook was far too proud to admit this, whether he was wary of it or not. Either way, his own feelings would be revealed, but only when he would have no other choice but to reveal them, which I can assure you dear reader, is rather soon.

It was then that Hook finally broke from his subconscious, prompted by a rather frustrated Smee, who, upon having tried to rouse the Captain's attention three times without success, had almost resorted to shouting his address into the man's ear. The older man sighed and began his request once more.

"We're here Cap'n. Orders?"

For a long moment Hook didn't reply, or in fact, move from his stance a single inch. It was only as Smee was beginning to lose his usually unwavering patience that he stuttered his response.

"Prepare the longboat Smee, and find three men on this god-forsaken ship who won't try and test my patience."

Smee nodded mutely, "and the girl?"

"Keep guard Smee. She is not to leave that cabin under any circumstances until my return. If she tried to escape, make her regret it."

"Yes Cap'n," Smee's voice softened, noting Hook's tone: something was playing on his mind.

Hook dissolved into silence once more and with that Smee scurried away from the Captain, leaving him to dwell in the recesses of his mind as he ventured into the brig in order to search for the three men, all of who's fates would be sealed by his mere decision: there was power to be had in loyalty, even aboard a pirate ship.

By pure accident, the first three men Smee encountered were worthy enough for the task and so, the order was given. As they hurried up onto the deck, Smee paused, considering Hook's earlier words. What had he done to Wendy in order for her to consider escaping? In truth, the question should have been, what hadn't he done, but alas, sometimes even the most humane pirates lose sight of what is right and wrong, particularly those living on an island controlled by a particularly stubborn ten year old.

* * *

Upon the pirate's arrival, the Black Castle was almost as Hook had left it those many moons ago. The portcullis was down and slowly rusting into nothingness by the tepid water that surrounded the castle, and the high terrace where Wendy, unbeknownst to Hook, had first laid her eyes upon Peter Pan's sworn enemy was slowly crumbling into the sea. As night settled across Neverland and the pirates stole their way into the castle via a secret entrance Hook had fashioned after Pan's last attempt to do away with him, a silence seemed to settle across the Black Sea, the soft pitching of the Jolly Roger the only thing that could be heard for miles around. Far across the waters, past the Indian camp and deep under the ground, hidden by the roots of trees as old as time itself, the soft sound found someone to hear it: to be precise, a young boy, who until that moment had been tossing to and fro in his hammock, dreaming dreams that no child should even have the misfortune to dream. However, we are detracting from the subject at hand. Hook had re-entered the Black Castle and was just beginning his search for an object he had hidden there long before Wendy and her brothers had even learnt that Neverland existed. It was long rumoured that the Captain had long ago hidden an object of immense worth in the confines of the castle, either, depending on who was telling the story, as a means to stop Peter from destroying it, or because it had been foretold that one day he would use it to return to the world he himself had abandoned. Whether the rumours were true or not, one thing was definitely to be said about the object of Hook's desire: he would risk a life to attain it.

Of course, that life didn't necessarily have to be his.

* * *

By the time Smee returned to the deck, both the Captain and the pirates had disappeared into the night air. Still curious as to why Wendy had been locked in the Captain's cabin in the first place, he slowly ambled over to the door. He paused at the cabin, contemplating unlocking the door and letting the girl roam the ship freely, after all, what harm could one girl cause?

The Captain's words slowly filtered back into his head.

"Better not," he mumbled.

Smee turned away to return to the galley but a soft whisper, barely audible above the sound of his heavy boots making their way across the deck, stopped him in his tracks.

"Smee? Is that you?"

He didn't answer immediately, not wanting to create any false pretences for the girl; he was to follow the Captain's orders and that was all.

"Aye miss, it is. I can't let you out though, Cap'n's orders," he paused, before quickly adding, "Sorry."

Silence greeted his apology, until he heard Wendy sigh, her body sliding down the door and landing on the floor with a soft thump.

"Why does he do this Smee? At least when I was younger his intentions were clear."

A pang of fatherly guilt rushed through Smee's body and he had to fight the urge to unlock the door and comfort the girl inside. Instead, they continued to talk for a while – Smee listening intently as Wendy whispered her feelings through the thick oak door. At one point, though I am unsure just how long they had been conversing when this occurred, Smee disappeared into the brig, leaving Wendy to her thoughts whilst he prepared a humble but delicious meal to appease her hunger. She ate in silence, occasionally raising her head to ensure that Smee remained in her presence. When she had finished, she stood firmly, determination lacing her eyes.

"I want to go to the Black Castle."

Smee chuckled, "I couldn't be letting y' do that miss, the Cap'n would gut me without a second's hesitation if I did that."

Wendy stayed firm.

"Smee, I cannot let this go on for much longer, I have to tell him that…"

At the point Wendy's voice petered off, partly because she simply was unable to continue with the train of thought she had been pursuing, but mostly as, at that very moment, a loud thump had echoed across the deck. Smee froze, miming for Wendy to remain where she was before beginning to creep towards the door. Watching him move, she had to stifle the urge to laugh, for Smee's movements were almost comical, his shuffling deserving some kind of Charlie Chaplin-esque musical number. He opened the door in a flurry, pouncing out onto the deck only to discover it empty. Straightening up, Smee strode out further, closely followed by a more than intrigued Wendy. For a moment, all was silent. A soft sound broke the peace: a gentle fluttering of wings beside Wendy's ear. She spun around, following the glimmer of gold, but before she could discern the boy hovering before her, her world turned black.

* * *

Before I alleviate the suspense I am aware I just formulated, I would like to go back in time by an hour or two in order to recount Captain Hook's excursion to the Black Castle. Upon entering the castle it would be accurate to state that Hook was in a less than pleasant mood. In fact, if he had the time, and crew, to spare, he would have more than likely unleashed his anger on the next unfortunate pirate to cross his gaze. As it was, he satisfied his need for terror by shooting one unfortunate pirate in the foot for the mere mistake of stumbling across the wet rocks.

Now, the Black Castle has existed within Neverland as long as Neverland itself has existed. The Indians, who offer myths and legends on each and every one of the island's inhabitants and visitors, have a number of tales concerning this fact. Some portray the Castle as an omen, only to be accessed by those who are already on their way to the deepest depths of hell, whilst others depict it as a place where Peter Pan, in choosing to stay young and innocent, was forced to lock away all his fears and grown up feelings, as well as that one piece of darkness that each human has within their soul. The latter would make considerable sense, as Peter, without quite knowing why, has always felt a lack of strength and courage when exploring the Black Castle's dark tunnels and walkways, something most unusual within his buoyant personality. No matter which of these are true, if any indeed are, the general consensus was that only those who had a wish to dice with fate visited the Black Castle, particularly as one incredibly large and hungry creature, and Hook's only real fear, resided there.

As the pirates searched through the lower tunnels of the castle, following carved signs that Hook himself had left in order to both help him find his treasure and escape the castle as quickly as possible, a certain caution kept them alert, for any number of dangers could present themselves at any time. They continued further into the castle's depths, trudging through the half flooded catacombs that even daylight had not dared to explore for many years. At one point one of pirates, the one who was currently limping due to a shot foot to be most accurate, halted suddenly in his footsteps, an unfamiliar sound reaching his ears.

"Captain?"

Hook listened for a moment or two, the wet slapping sound tickling his spine, but then carried on his journey without uttering a single word. However, the noise had confirmed his suspicions: they were close.

After another ten minutes or so, the group of, now quite worn-out, pirates, finally reached the end of the particularly damp and cramped tunnel, each breathing a sigh of relief as they turned the corner into a hidden underground alcove. Stalactites hung delicately from the ceiling, small droplets of clear blue water dripping off them at regular intervals. The ground was also raised slightly, meaning the water level had pooled decoratively around the hill in the centre of the alcove, to which a rather decrepit, but still solid, wooden bridge had been erected in order to access. Hook made his way over first, making as little noise as possible as to not arouse a certain unwanted visitor. As per his orders two of the pirates followed, both just as cautiously, whilst the third 'kept watch' at the entrance to the tunnel they had just arrived via. Hook moved swiftly, the hairs on the back of his neck standing tall. His hook was raised, prepared for any sudden threats, and each move he made was so quiet that a blind man would have not noticed his presence at all.

They clambered carefully up the grassy mound, a smile unable to hide itself from Hook's lips as his eyes fell upon the large stone slab that stood between him and his most prized possession. He crouched down, carefully manoeuvring his hook into the edge of the slab, using it as a lever to pull the piece of stone out of the ground and reveal the hidden space below. At less than ten inches in depth and size, the hole was by no means able to hold a mass of treasure and luckily for Hook, his treasure was neither massive nor numerous in quantity.

Lifting the small wooden box from the hole, the two pirates watching his every move in awe and the third craning to see so much that he was neglecting his duty, Hook lifted its latch and gently popped it open. However, the smile that had been lingering on his lips and the small feeling of excitement that had begun to form in his chest disappeared in a flash as he surveyed the contents of the box. The piece of paper inside had all but crumbled into pieces, the delicate writing on it so faded that little could be decipherable besides the phrases 'dearest James' and 'together again'. The ring itself was also irreparable, the gold band rusted and the tiny quartz stone that had once held so many magical powers had faded to dust. Time had run up: Hook's one and only chance to leave Neverland had died, and now he was to remain trapped there. All by the doing of one insolent little boy.

"Pan."

That was all he said as he rose to full height, carelessly dropping the once prized box as if it had suddenly lost all meaning, which of course it had. He turned away, anger lacing his eyes so deeply that for a moment they flashed red. Within a second he had crossed the bridge, hastily followed by two rather bemused pirates, and spared no second glance as he plunged his hook into the pirate on look out before making his way through the tunnels and passageways at such a speed and ferocity that it was more than apparent his previous wall etchings were also engraved into his mind. With every step, anger, hatred and jealously pulsed through his veins. He waded through the knee deep murky waters with force, not even pausing as the wet slapping sound they had heard earlier once again reached his ears, this time accompanied by a deep, hungry growl and a soft ticking sound. Glancing back only to ensure his entourage was still following, Hook suddenly turned left, squeezing through a narrow passageway barely big enough for one man. The growling intensified as the first pirate slipped through too, at which point Hook stopped in his footsteps, not even bothering to turnaround to speak.

"Don't let the other one through – he's bait."

The pirate complied, albeit hesitantly, turning and pushing his once-comrade back through the gap and sealing it off with small pieces of stone and debris with as much haste as he could. From the other side a scuffle could be heard, then a growl and splashing, both that of a large creature entering shallow water and of a not so large human running as fast and far away from that large creature as possible. Hook snickered – part of him wanted no more than to witness the pain he was causing, but that damn crocodile was fast, and he'd be dead before he could even raise his sword, so therefore he had to be content with listening to the fool suffer… and suffer he did, believe me.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **Wednesday's chapter is here. As always, thanks to my reviewers CaptainHooksGirl and ThePandaHat, the ring shall be fully explained soon! Enjoy and as always, tell me what you think!

Chapter 10

Peter Pan was stressed. Not stressed in the way that a normal child could become, nor even stressed in the way an adult may, but stressed to a point where he was beginning to doubt the beauty and joy of living in Neverland where, supposedly, he could reside without a care in the world and spend his days fighting pirates and playing imaginary games. The cause of his stress, or rather the cause of his most recent and currently most prominent stress, sat before him in the form of seven not so young boys. Peter had insisted that they be blindfolded on the way to his underground home however, as the memories of living in Neverland slowly filtered back into the visitors' minds, it was discovered that all bar John and Michael were adept at finding the hideout with their eyes closed anyway.

They had opted to delay their voyage to the Black Castle until nightfall, Peter having decided that the only way to truly test the supposed 'Lost Boys' was by putting them in danger as soon as he had the opportunity to. Until then, he had sent the eldest of his new gang out to spy on the pirates and discover their whereabouts whilst he remained and interrogated the less than welcome visitors. Nibs had fallen back into silence as the boys had answered Peter's questions, ranging from how, and why, Tink had really found them and bought them back to Neverland, to the minute details of their previous adventures. Peter refused to mention Wendy, and he purposely ignored her name whenever one of the boys accidentally mentioned it, so, with a sigh, they eventually gave up on trying to discover what had befallen her since her return to Neverland. It was clear that Hook had her in his possession, but his reasoning and intentions beyond using her to capture Peter, which he didn't even seem interested in doing, remained a mystery.

It was with an air of defeat that Peter, having exhausted both the boy's minds and his own, retired to his bed for an afternoon nap. He collapsed heavily in an uncouth manner, his hand draping over the edge of the bed as his mind was whisked away into the dream world. He hadn't slept for long when the dreams started to turn sour, dark shadows clouding his view as he soared through the skies, visions of a young girl in a night dress falling past him, her scream ringing in his ears. Before too long he was aboard the Jolly Roger, but instead of being overcome by pirates the moment he landed, silence instead greeted him, cobwebs and dust lacing each and every surface, as if it hadn't been touched in years. As he looked out over the ocean he realised that it too was flat and lifeless, drained of colour as far out as Peter could see. He began to explore, searching the brig for clues but finding none before turning to Hook's cabin, something mysterious drawing him towards it like a moth to a flame.

The door made no sound as Peter opened it, or at least no sound that he could recall upon awakening, and as his weary eyes glanced around the once elegant cabin something painful panged in Peter's heart. Was it guilt, or regret, or perhaps even sympathy? He didn't dwell on it for long however, instead exploring the room with all the vigour of a curious child. As with before everything was fading away, the bed's linen torn beyond repair; the gilded desk scratched and chipped; and the once elegant and scrumptious feast of food had rotted into oblivion. It seemed that the entirety of the Jolly Roger, and the pirates that had once called it home, were slowly decomposing into non-existence, and Peter, in his slumbering mind, could not figure out how or why this strange occurrence was happening.

It was only as he turned to leave the cabin, deciding that this dream was far too perplexing a dream to be having, that Peter noticed something unusual resting upon the closed lid of Hook's former grand piano. He stumbled over towards it, noting that, unlike everything else in the cabin and aboard the ship in general, it appeared to be in near perfect condition. As he approached, Peter suddenly realised that the object of his curiosity was, in fact, three smaller objects, which only served to entice him further.

As Peter's eyes were first able to distinguish the nature of the items before him, the boy was initially unable to contain his surprise. Jumping away from them he suddenly found himself pressed against the ceiling of the cabin, staring down at the objects with a furrowed brow. After a moment or two, he lowered himself back to the ground, cautiously placing his fingers on the curve of his nemesis' appendage that was glinting menacingly in the sunlight. Besides it lay an object Peter had not seen in an extremely long time, one that he thought had been lost to the belly of the crocodile at about the same time the hook before him had been bequeathed to a certain pirate captain. However, there is was, in one piece and in as fine a detail as it had been when he had last laid eyes upon it. The only thing about the brass clock that Peter deemed unusual was the fact that it was ticking, not even the faintest little chime emitted from it. But, he supposed, if it had indeed come from the mouth of the crocodile, then it had a perfect reason not to.

It was then that Peter turned to the third and final object, the one that until now he had almost entirely dismissed due to it being both rather small and not as familiar with the boy as the other two had been. He picked up the ring with a look of curiosity splashed across his features. The band itself was rather small, ruling out any possibility that the item could have belonged to a male. Engraved in the smallest of letters and fanciest of fonts just on the inside of the band, Peter could just about depict the words, 'with all my love, James Hook' alongside a miniature engraved skull and crossbones. He turned the ring over slowly, eyeing up the dark gem that now glinted up at him. There was something unusual about it: it appeared to have some sort of mist trapped inside, for, upon closer viewing, Peter could see that the mysterious pattern underneath the gem's surface was not part of its design, but moving freely inside the gem itself.

Before the curious little boy could question the ring any further, it suddenly let out a loud whine and burst into ashes right there in Peter's fingers. As he looked around in panic, the Captain's hook and the crocodile's clock also exploded into ash, clouds of the powder rising into the air and engulfing Peter as it accumulated. Peter barely had time to cry out before the Jolly Roger and all of its rotting contents abruptly disappeared too and all of a sudden he was falling fast through the darkness, unable to muster even one happy thought in order to regain his flying ability. He screamed, beginning for someone, anyone, to help him in his plight, but it seemed no one could hear his calls for no answer came. Without warning the ground suddenly came into Peter's view, him hurtling downwards so fast that he would not be able to avoid smashing into it. However, the closer he fell the more Peter realised that it was in fact a large, wet tongue he was travelling towards, surrounded by a set of even larger teeth, and accompanied by a macabre and constant ticking sound. No sooner had Peter consigned his terrified self to the idea that his destination was the belly of the crocodile, than his world went black.

Peter awoke with a start, springing up with a loud exclamation and most promptly falling onto the cold dirt floor. Tinker Bell was by his side in a flash, quickly followed by the few Lost Boys who hadn't chosen to nap when Peter had left them to their own devices. Springing up into a seating position but not quite able to bring himself to move further than that, Peter cast his gaze upwards, groggily surveying the faces of the people around him, from the concerned expression of one of his newest charges to the blank face that the ever-expressionless Nibs displayed. After a moment or two, Peter dismissed them all with a half-hearted wave, as if trying to convince both himself and the onlookers of his well-being. They left slowly and hesitantly and soon Peter was alone once more, trying to recall the strange details of his latest dream. Stretching out his legs in order to lean back and stare wistfully up at the ceiling, Peter placed arms out behind him, however instead of touching the solid ground, one of his fingers grazed against something cold and small. He had retracted his hand in an instant, cautiously turning his head to see what it was he had touched. A soft glimmer of silver caught his eye and, reaching forward, he removed the necklace from its hiding place, once again studying it. A small gasp of air left his lips.

"The kiss."

Naturally, after Tink's disruption of it, the re-arrival of the kiss into Peter's life had gone forgotten, but now, as he held the item delicately in his not too clean hands, another flicker of a memory began to filter into Peter's head.

"The Wendy lady."

Peter rose to his feet, a plan formulating fast in his head. He hid the necklace on his person and made for the door of his room, only stopping for an instant to check that he still had the ability to fly: sometimes the scarier remnants of dreams do remain, and apparently Peter's inability to fly had been one of those.

As he opened the door, expecting the boys to be lying around and keeping themselves entertained, a sudden rush of commotion erupted before Peter. He looked around, trying to survey its cause, when suddenly the eldest of the boys stepped forward. Peter grinned: he'd returned.

"Peter, Hook is headed for the Black Castle, he's searching for something!"

"What about the woman?"

"She's still on board the Jolly Roger, in Hook's cabin. I couldn't quite hear what was going on but I think Hook is protecting her: he told Smee to keep guard."

Michael piped up angrily, "Hook isn't protecting Wendy. He kidnapped her!"

A small ruckus erupted as the boys began to argue over Hook and Wendy's relationship. Peter's patience grew thin.

"Silence!"

It was achieved instantly as each boy turned back to Peter, apprehension covering their expressions, even Nibs', at Peter's tone.

"You are all to go to the Black Castle and hide in wait for Hook. Do not attack until I give my order, no matter what. Understand?"

A general chorus of 'Yes, Peter' arose from the crowd of boys before they began to drift towards their destination. Peter, however, did not have the time to spare: he was to take a detour.

Within only ten minutes he had arrived at the Jolly Roger, and I'm sure, as a boastful Peter would have insisted, he would have arrived at his destination in half the time if he hadn't have been so kind as to hurry the Lost Boys, both old and new, to begin their voyage. He landed on the ship's railing with a soft tap, not wanting to arouse any suspicions… for the moment at least. If his informant had been accurate in his detailing of the situation, the majority of the pirates would still be occupied below deck whilst Smee and the Wendy lady were occupying Hook's cabin. After a quick surveillance of the scene, and upon finding his informant's words to be true, Peter cautiously prepared to execute his plan. He turned around to face the ever faithful, and ever jealous, Tinker Bell to ensure she was on the same page and, with a wink and a slight nod of the head, their mission to kidnap the Wendy lady began.

Asides from being one of the shortest and easiest missions Peter and Tinker Bell had ever embarked upon, it was with certain trepidation that Peter made his presence known. Perhaps it was the remnants of the dream hanging around him still but a definite unease filled Peter's conscience as he made his move, as if danger was lurking right behind him and, in choosing his action, he had set a much bigger chain reaction of events into motion, one which no amount of fairy dust or believing could stop. However, always the curiosity and danger-seeking child, Peter pushed the thoughts out of his mind and continued on nonplussed. Fate may have been fate, but he was Peter Pan: the boy who defied expectation simply by being in existence.

Upon capturing Wendy and trapping Smee in the satin curtains that laced Hook's grand four poster bed (Tink's doing), the flying boy and his hot headed fairy made their escape as quickly and as quietly as possible. Of course, carrying the unconscious Wendy was no easy job, but with a little extra fairy dust the task was managed.

They arrived at the Black Castle just as a scream echoed throughout its decaying form. It was undoubtedly a dying scream, and that of a male too, but Peter wasted no time in pondering whose it might be. The noise was also loud and sharp enough to alleviate Peter of his next task: waking up the Wendy lady. She sat up with a gasp, as if awaking from a nightmare, her wide eyes frantically taking in her surroundings. Her gaze settled upon Peter and she gasped once more as it occurred to her just what had happened.

"Peter, why did…"

"Be quiet!" Peter leapt forward, placing his hand over her mouth, much to her shock. "Do not talk or I will silence you myself."

The threat was clear enough and so Wendy succumbed to Peter's orders. Satisfied, he moved away, unwrapping the rope he had collected whilst aboard the Jolly Roger from his waist and using it to bind Wendy's hands behind her back. She grimaced but made no complaint, partly curious as to what Peter had in mind to do with her. He clearly hadn't remembered her, but instead must have come to the crazy decision that she was worth something in Hook's eyes; at least enough that the Captain would consider his moves in accordance to whatever fate Peter had in mind for her.

When Peter was content that Wendy was bound to an acceptable standard he stood back, removing his sword from his holster and pointing it towards her.

"Stand up."

She did so, only encountering the slightest difficulty as she was unable to use her hands to guide her upwards. When she was steady Peter spoke once more.

"You are to obey my every order or I will run you through!" He jabbed the sword at her as if to make his point. "Take me to Hook."

Wendy sighed.

"But…"

The sword was jabbed at her again, prompting her silence, which Wendy reluctantly gave. With another sigh, she conceded defeat. There was no use arguing, it was better to pretend to know where she was going than risk becoming 'another dead pirate', and so, it was with that, that Wendy and Peter began their search for Hook.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: **Here we go; another chapter! Special thanks to CaptainHooksGirl for your lovely review. The next one will be up later this evening/tomorrow morning. Don't forget to review!

Chapter 11

They walked in silence for some time, Peter keeping his eyes trained on Wendy as she stumbled forward, keeping as close to the wall of the Black Castle as possible in order to not risk falling into the tumultuous ocean below. Wendy moved slowly, trying to think up a plan that would protect both Hook and Peter without bringing too much harm to herself, but nothing came to mind. She kept her gaze low, not even stopping to notice the subtle changes in the castle's exterior that Hook had previously taken the time to digest. A sigh escaped her lips as she turned her head to glance at Peter, who had narrowed his eyes and only responded by jabbing his sword towards her once more. Wendy shifted her gaze upwards, glancing up at the portcullis.

"There's no way in."

For the first time in quite a large number of minutes, Peter broke his gaze from Wendy, surveying the portcullis as if it might just magically open upon his order.

"Tink?"

The fairy leapt forward, purposely spraying dust in Wendy's face to make her sneeze, which she did, before diving in and out of the metal bars, trying to discover some way to raise them. After a moment or two she returned with a shrug of her shoulders and her head shaking sadly. Peter sighed, thinking hard.

"What about the terrace where…"

Wendy's words drifted off as she remembered that Peter would have no recollection, and therefore no need to care, of the first time they had flown to the Black Castle in order to rescue John and Michael. She was right, for Peter didn't even question her lack of sentence finishing; instead his mind was entirely focused upon thinking of the best way to get Wendy up onto the terrace. With a hint of disgust, he conceded. He had two choices: carry Wendy, for as he had previously discovered, she was not too heavy, or give her fairy dust so that she could fly. The decision was simple: he was not giving the enemy the advantage of flying.

Peter withdrew his sword, tucking it back into its sheath, before approaching Wendy somewhat cautiously but still with an air of authority about him. He stepped behind her and carefully untied her hands, completing the task slowly to ensure that Wendy would not use her freedom to attempt to escape. She remained still and Peter stepped away from her once more.

"Put your arms around my neck, and whatever you do, make sure you hold on tight."

Realising what Peter was intending to do, Wendy immediately began to protest.

"But, Peter…"

"Do as I say lady, or I will leave you here to die!"

The statement was rather dramatic, even for Peter, and both knew his words to be untrue. He was, after all, using Wendy to capture Hook and wouldn't leave her be and forfeit his plans quite that easily. Yet Wendy still complied, finding herself having no other option but to do just that. Taking a small step forward, she rested her arms around the boy's neck, to which he, only slightly hesitantly, wrapped his arm around her waist for support.

With a slight push, Peter soared skywards, Wendy clinging onto him as the memory of flying coursed through her bones, her hair waving in the breeze. Not quite enjoying it as much as she remembered doing so as a child, Wendy leant in to Peter, her head resting against the boy's chest. Although he showed no outward reaction to this movement, an image had suddenly flashed into Peter's mind. He was flying, just as he was now, but, instead of an adult, he was carrying a young girl, about his age, in his arms. Her face was hidden as she buried it into his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around Peter's neck, but her hair was almost identical to that of the grown up's, which only served to confuse him. As he held onto the girl he suddenly realised she was quivering and it became apparent that he must have just rescued her. At that moment she moved her head, looking up to stare gratefully into Peter's eyes.

"Peter."

A look of horror crossed Peter's face as he suddenly recognised the girl before him: she was the grown up, the only difference between the two of them was that the girl was a child. It was the same person!

"Peter!"

Wendy's scream brought Peter out of his subconscious, thankfully, just in time for him to avoid the chunk of rock they had been about to hit. As he tried to comprehend precisely what he had just seen, Peter quickly glanced down at the grown up in his arms. True, she looked almost identical to the girl he had just seen himself carrying, but if it was the same person, why didn't he remember her? To be more precise, why, up until this moment, did he not even have any recollection of a girl stepping foot on Neverland, let alone being so close to Peter that he would rescue her from danger?

He landed on the stone terrace in silence, loosening himself from Wendy almost instantly. Peter did not like this: having flashbacks to events that may or may not have occurred. It spelled trouble, and magic, magic that no one but the darkest of sorcerers could achieve. With difficulty, he pushed the thought out of his head, deciding to focus on the here and now: he had to get to Hook, he could find the answer to his problems later, or perhaps even Hook would know. Of course, he would have to fight the answers out of him, but Peter didn't mind that.

Withdrawing his sword once more, Peter began to usher Wendy towards the rooftop entrance of the castle, making sure he had fully tied her hands back together in case she decided to try and escape upon seeing her beloved Hook. The castle was almost exactly as Wendy recalled it; dark and dingy with an overwhelming smell of rot and stale water. As she slowly made her way down the slippery stone steps that paved the way into the ruins, Wendy caught glimpse of a couple of a few boys hiding between and behind the rocks and arches that decorated the castle. At one moment she could have sworn she also saw Curley, but within a heartbeat whoever it was had vanished from her sight, leaving her debating whether there was any chance the boys may have followed her from London.

Stumbling slightly as she reached an uneven patch of stone, Wendy turned her head away from the hiding children, focusing instead upon her journey. They crossed through the archways and began to make their way down to the ledge on which Peter had almost fallen prey to Hook's vengeance before. However, just as they reached it a large shadow of a figure began to descend around the corner opposite from where Wendy and Peter where standing. In a flash Peter had hidden, nearly toppling over Wendy as he moved. She was less fortunate in her movement, barely having time to struggle before Hook came into view, his sharp eyes instantly resting on her.

For a moment there was silence, as both parties stared at each other, one angry, and the other apprehensive. All of a sudden, Hook growled, marching, as fast as he could for the ground between them was rather uneven, towards Wendy as she ever so cautiously backed off.

"What are you doing here? Where's Smee?"

Wendy stuttered, somewhat stunned at the way Hook was looking at her, his dark hair tousled and his wet jacket clinging tightly to his arms, revealing a set of rather impressive muscles underneath. She blinkered out of her reverie as Hook continued to approach her, the forget me not blue of his eyes laced with streams of blood red. Wendy gasped, struggling to untie herself in an attempt to avoid the imminent danger. Alas, Peter had tied the ropes too tight.

In one swift movement, Hook's fingers had entwined themselves into Wendy's hair. Pulling her towards him with little effort, she whimpered softly.

"Captain, I…"

For not the first time in the last few hours, Wendy was interrupted, this time by a hook as it pushed itself against her windpipe, threatening to break her skin. Behind her, a soft gasp broke the almost silence and Hook, who until that second had looked as if he was about to kill the poor Wendy, raised an eyebrow, his features softening ever so slightly as is gaze flickered upwards.

"What was that?" he whispered, his hook still uncharacteristically close to Wendy's throat.

"Nothing," she croaked softly, trying to remain as still as possible. His gaze flickered back down to hers.

"Don't lie to me Wendy. We are not alone."

He lifted his hook ever so slightly, purposely cutting off Wendy's breath. She began to panic, wishing with all her might that Peter would reveal himself and end her torment. He appeared to read her mind for, as Hook raised his arm to strike, a shadow cleared its throat directly behind him. He spun around in shock, his look changing to one of hatred as Peter hovered before him.

"Pan?"

Peter smiled, a cheeky grin playing on his lips. "Did you miss me?"

He laughed playfully, prompting Hook to curse all that was good and true for the opportunity to slash his neck with the weapon that adorned his right hand. He swung his Hook outwards but as always Peter dodged out of the way, his shoulders shaking as he laughed.

"You're going to have to try harder than that old man! Otherwise your little _guest _will end up as crocodile food!"

Hook's face fell and he turned back to Wendy in one swift movement. The red in his eyes was gone: the old Hook was back. Taking her chin in his hand, Hook surveyed the girl before him, finally noticing she was bound. His fingers gently stroked her cheek.

"Wendy." He whispered, not taking his eyes off her for a moment.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, my dear."

Behind them, Peter was rapidly growing inpatient, a plan formulating in his mind.

"James, be careful."

Hook froze, having both never heard Wendy use his first name before and having never been worried over in concern to his deathly pursuits. After a second's hesitation, he pulled her into his arms where she instantly rested her head against his chest. Using the moment of comfort to its best advantage, he slowly slipped his hook under Wendy's bonds, slicing them away in as carefully as the situation would allow. Her arms flung around his neck as soon as she was free, her head moving to rest on his shoulder. Hook held her tight, lost in his own little world until, suddenly, Wendy froze.

As Wendy opened her eyes, a terrifying sight met her gaze. Peter was hovering in front of her, his sword drawn and its sharp tip not three inches from her face. He had a look of disgust on his face, which, Wendy assumed, was more than just because there were two people embracing before him: one of them was the evil Captain Hook. Peter's lip twitched as he snarled down at them.

"You should never have returned."

Wendy felt her mouth fall open as Peter raised his sword in order to strike but Hook was ready. In one swift movement he ducked, taking Wendy with him, and withdrew his own sword, spinning around to face Peter as he rose once more. Their eyes locked.

The fight began. Peter struck first, childlike and clumsily, but Hook deflected it coolly. They continued to battle, the sound of swords clanging echoing around the stone walls of the castle. Wendy felt herself creeping backwards as Peter forced Hook towards her, until a wall abruptly appeared behind her, giving her no place to go. She screamed as Peter lunged over Hook's shoulder, Hook jumping out of the way easily although the blow clearly wasn't intended for him. Luckily, she moved her head just in time and the sword instead lodged itself into the stone behind her.

Peter groaned angrily, pulling with all of his might in order to dislodge his weapon. Seizing the moment of peace, Hook turned to Wendy, a concerned but authoritative tone in his voice, and ordered her to hide. She hesitated for a moment, trying to think of something to say, but at Hook's urging, and Peter's freeing of his sword, she found she had no other choice but to dart into the darkness and watch as the fight unfolded once more.

Hook grimaced as Peter swung his sword towards him, prompting him to dive out of the way so that he wouldn't suffer being hit. As he glanced up at the boy, he noticed something strange about his expression. Pan had always fought with a smile before now, no matter the situation. To him, fighting was just a game, and there was no real vengeance to be had. This was what normally irked Hook the most, as, to the pirate Captain, revenge was pivotal, and Peter always seemed to be mocking his anger whenever he defeated him with a stupid grin splashed across his face. However now something had changed. Peter was no longer smiling but had a look of deep concentration etched into his skin, his lips were pursed and his eyes were furrowed; he was not quite out to kill but merely confused and hurt at Wendy's loyalty to Hook, not that he remembered her, but it must have been difficult to come to the understanding that the old, lonely Captain could find friendship in a member of the opposing gender.

This time it was Hook's turn to lunge, using the moment to direct Peter as far away from Wendy's hiding place as possible. The boy recovered quicker than Hook could ever dream so and came at him once more; driving him up the staircase he had earlier forced the captive Wendy down. Gaining his bearings, Hook began to formulate a plan. He had to get Pan out of the vicinity and allow Wendy to escape. Glancing ever so slightly upwards, Hook spotted the archway leading out onto the stone terrace and, deciding that was the place they needed to go, he started to edge his way towards it.

Wendy watched on in horror as the child and the pirate fought, forgetting the world around them as they became so intensely wrapped up in their own. With a gasp, she realised that Hook was leading the both of them out onto the terrace and away from Wendy's line of sight. She straightened up, watching them until the very last moment and then began to run, jumping over loose stones and stumbling on the uneven surface in order to catch them before something drastic happened.

When she was only a couple of metres away from the archway, her ears still desperately listening out for the clink of metal on metal, Wendy's foot suddenly became entrapped in a small gap in the stone and with a scream she fell to the ground, landing heavily on her side, her cheek scraping across the rough stone floor. Breathing heavily through the pain, she lifted herself back up as fast as she could, checking momentarily for cuts and grazes, of which there were a few, before continuing, albeit at a much slower pace, towards the arch through which Peter and Hook had disappeared.

Just as she was about to turn the corner and limp out onto the terrace, a cry echoed through the dark cloudy skies. Wendy paled: it wasn't the cry of a boy, but one of a man, which meant only one thing.

Gathering all her strength, she turned out onto the terrace, seeing Peter standing victoriously over Hook's fallen body. She went to call out for Hook but before she could even breathe Peter had turned, a demonic smile on his face, and flown over to Wendy, slamming her backwards into the stone as he covered her mouth with a blood streaked hand. He grinned one filthy, proud grin and whispered:

"It's too late. Hook is dead."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: A stupid amount of revisions, a lot of editing, and a crazy real life workload are the soul reasons this chapter took so long. I hope it was worth the wait. As always, thank you to my lovely reviewers CaptainHooksGirl, Miss Savvy, Tarah Draconiger (x2!) and KittyHawk09 for your words of loveliness Also thank you to those who continue to favourite and follow this story even during times of inactivity. You are all an inspiration. Now... get reading!**

Chapter 12

The words seemed to echo around Wendy's mind, each syllable scorching deep holes into her heart. Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes as she tried to comprehend what Peter had just told her. It couldn't be true, and yet, when she turned her head to cast her gaze down upon Hook's body, there was no sign of movement.

Pushing Peter away, Wendy let out a scream.

"No! Please."

She took a step towards Hook's body, intending to run over and check his pulse; see if there was any way to save him, but the touch of a sword at her chest stopped her in her tracks. Peter was stood before her, his face unreadable, somewhere between determination, anger and confusion. He stepped forward, giving Wendy no choice but to retreat back into the shadows of the archway, stumbling backwards across the ledge she had only just crossed.

Peter smirked. "I gave you fair warning lady, but now you must die too."

Wendy stiffened, part of her wanting to beg Peter to remember who she was, but another knowing that there was no chance of him ever doing such a thing. She was an adult now; therefore she was an enemy of Peter's. She took another step back, unsuspectingly unaware of how precariously close she was to the edge of the ledge. Peter, on the other hand, could see the danger as clear as day.

He lunged.

Wendy stepped back once more, finding no stone but only air beneath her feet. With no time to regain her balance or even call out in shock, she slipped and fell, hurtling down towards the cold dank water below, Peter merely watching as a deathly scream forced its way out of her lungs.

She landed with a loud splash, the impact sending water in all directions. The boys, who had been listening to the events, left their hiding placing momentarily, John and Michael gazing down with particular concern at the place where Wendy had disappeared but before they could move any further Peter had turned around to them, ordering them to remain in their hiding places.

For a moment, a deathly silence filled the ruins, all eyes focused on the place where Wendy had disappeared. Suddenly, Wendy broke the water's surface with a strained gasp, her lungs reaching out for any morsel of air she could find. The height and speed of which she had hit the water was almost enough to knock her out cold, but thankfully the fall had merely stunned her, for otherwise she most certainly would have drowned. Believing herself to be alone she began to struggle her way over to the rock, unsuccessfully attempting to brush away her sodden hair as it clung to her face. She slipped under the water a further two times before she reached her destination, having never been either a confident swimmer or in possession of the ability to remain calm in dangerous situation, especially those that were life-threatening. Eventually, however, Wendy felt her hand scrape against stone and it was with a well-earned sigh of relief that she began to clamber up onto the rock that Hook, many years previous, had left her brothers and Tiger Lilly to die upon.

Using one of the long sacrificed skeletons to aid her, Wendy pushed upwards out of the water, her other hand reaching out to stop her from slipping back in. However, it was not stone that met Wendy's grip, but skin. Looking up slowly and with a look of pure dread plastered across her face, Wendy's gaze caught Peter's. Tears began to fill her eyes as he looked down at her with nothing but contempt filling his features. His gaze was so overpowering that Wendy daren't even move in case it prompted him to attack.

There is a phrase not so commonly used in the fantastical world of Neverland but rather popular among the inhabitants of London and their friends and enemies in the other developing countries. It goes something along the lines of: 'my life flashed before my eyes' and is a phrase Wendy came to use quite often when describing this particular moment of her return to Neverland. Her words could not be further from the truth however, as, although Peter certainly looked ready to kill, no stream of images coursed through Wendy's mind at the acknowledgement of her extremely limited time left in this existence. Instead, her eyes, wide and panicked, caught those of the boy towering over her. His blue irises glistened coldly in the limited light surrounding them and, for the smallest of moments, Wendy could have sworn she saw a red tint steadily gaining prominence within his eyes. Within a blink it was gone, and within another Peter had crouched down, bringing his face as close to Wendy's as possible.

"You have outstayed your welcome lady. Goodbye"

With that he rose once more, withdrawing his sword and tracing it along Wendy's neck. She trembled, her teeth chattering in the process, although whether this was down to fear or being soaked to the bone was impossible to decipher. Looking past Peter, Wendy could have sworn she saw movement further back in the castle's ruins, however she was given little time to dwell on it as Peter suddenly raised his sword, preparing to strike.

"PETER!"

The scream was shrill, shriller than Wendy had ever screamed before. As it echoed across Neverland, filtering into the ears of the pirates, the Indians and the fairies, each one was able to pick a different characteristic from the plea: its hope, its strength, its love. To any who were fortunate enough to be gazing into the sky at that particular time, they would have also noticed the ripple of energy exerting from the Black Castle, encasing the land in one swift movement that brought with it peace and a sense of clarity. Something big had just occurred.

Back at the castle the weapon stopped, mere inches from Wendy's chest, its owner staring dumbfoundly at the girl before him, her eyes squeezed tight and a single tear rolling down her cheek. Inside his mind, something strange was happening; memories were appearing out of mid-air, building an intricate web within his mind, connecting all the loose ends. Peter studied the frozen girl before him, the waters lapping at her body, her thick hair matted and dripping, yet still framing her face, the face that he had long forgotten but never truly left behind. It had always been there, somewhere, hidden in the back of his mind. Shakily, he turned himself away from the figure before him, glancing up into the darkness where the Lost Boys where hiding. A few of them were peeking out from their hiding places, looking down upon the scene before them in expressions that ranged all the way from excitement to horror. One boy, however, had removed himself from the shade entirely and was standing square on, his eyes fixated on Peter, the beginnings of a smile decorating the corners of his mouth. Nibs had always had the uncanny ability to realise the truth before Peter himself had; it was the reason why Peter had been so close to the boy, and why he had remembered him first.

With a sigh, Peter turned back to Wendy, a gasp catching in his throat as he saw her eyes were now open, those bright blue orbs staring up at him. In that instant, the world seemed to freeze around them, time and space coming to a complete standstill as their eyes locked. It was only as the water began to rise further up Wendy's torso, almost reaching her chest, that she broke free of her stupor, a strangled cry escaping her throat.

"Please, Peter. Help me."

A single tear formed at the corner of the boy's eye, but it was gone in a blink. His voice softened.

"Wendy… You're grown up."

A ripple of excitement flooded Wendy's chest. _He remembered! _And yet his tone was enough to dissipate Wendy's excitement the moment it appeared. She lowered her head, using all her strength as to not slip back into the freezing water.

"I had no other choice Peter."

Peter crouched, his sword forgotten as he surveyed the girl before him, wanting , but unable, to reach out and touch her, longing to see if her hair and skin felt just how he remembered it to be.

"You could have stayed with me forever, Wendy. We could have had adventures every day for the rest of our lives!"

"No, Peter. My adventure was to grow up, I'm sorry."

"Why are you here, Wendy? Why are you with Hook?"

"I…"

This time Wendy's life did flash before her eyes, or at least the previous set of days did: her awaking on board the Jolly Roger; her realisation of Hook being alive; her initial hatred and then growing acceptance of him; his protection over her. A lot had happened, and yet she still didn't know _why _she had been brought to Neverland. Or perhaps she did, and perhaps she wanted to embrace it.

Peter wouldn't have approved of that though, especially now.

"I don't know Peter. He kidnapped me, I had no choice."

Peter's expression softened slightly and after a moment's hesitation he reached forward to take her wrist, his face brushing up against hers as he leant down to whisper in her ear.

"I'm sorry Wendy."

Before she was even able to fully comprehend Peter's words, the metal cuff had clasped around Wendy's wrist, pinching her skin as the sound of metal locking in place echoed around the ruins. As the realisation of Peter's actions struck her, no sound escaped Wendy's lips, the desperation in her eyes being the only way she could plead with him as a lump rose in her throat that almost left her gasping for air. He averted his gaze, stumbling slightly as he stood, confusion filling his features. Glancing down at the trembling girl before him, silently struggling to remain in position on the slippery rock, Peter sighed. He didn't know whether he had made the right decision, but there was nothing else he could do: he had allowed his confusion, his fear, to take over.

With a flash, he was gone, the Lost Boys following him in silence, the newer members of the gang 'aiding' John and Michael with their exit. As silence once again settled, the only noise the gentle lapping of the waves as they steadily rose up her body, Wendy let out a shuddering sob. Confusion and fear wracked her brain, yet, somewhere in the deepest recesses of her heart, she was at peace. Hook was gone, and now it was her turn to go too. A thought pushed itself into Wendy's mind, one which made her suddenly grin from ear to ear.

She wouldn't go down without a fight.

With all the strength that remained inside her, Wendy pushed herself upwards, her nails scraping against the wet rock, its sharp edges digging into her side as she attempted to pull herself to safety. She slipped slightly, only stopping herself from falling into the water at the last moment, her fingers clasping onto a slight groove in the rock's surface. She froze, taking a moment to catch her breath before her fight for survival began once more.

In the silence, a couple of loose rocks splashed innocently into the water from above, causing Wendy to shift her gaze upwards, seeking their source. As she squinted into the darkness a flash of light caught the corner of her eye, and she turned her head to survey it. A slight grunt echoed through the ruins accompanied by the sharp sound of metal clanging against stone. Wendy raised an eyebrow. _Surely not? _

Suddenly, out of the darkness lurched a figure, pale but very much alive, his breathing heavy and blood staining his clothes. But there he was, looking down at her from the archway at the top of the ruins. Hook was alive.

As Wendy's eyes focused, Hook's gaze locked onto hers, his forget-me-not blue eyes staring down in a mixture of worry and hatred, although it was clear the latter emotion had little to do with her. Wendy felt her body go numb, her mind racing as it tried to piece together the impossible puzzle. Why did she suddenly feel so complete? Like a rush of warmth had encircled her, pushing away the waters that were slowly creeping up her shoulders, encasing her in a beautiful bright glow. The twenty metre gap between the two of them seemed to shrink into nothingness as Wendy smiled, Hook's expression quickly altering to match hers. Forgetting her situation for the smallest of moments, Wendy relaxed, her grip loosening as she lost herself in the Captain's gaze.

And that was when the moment of beauty was torn away from them.

Hook saw the danger first but it was all he could do just to stand there and watch as Wendy's eyes widened in panic at the sudden realisation of her actions. She gasped, reaching out, but it was too late, and with a sickening scraping sound Wendy slid off the rock and disappeared from Hook's sight, her chained wrist, which was flailing dramatically, the only thing illuminating to what was going on. As fast as his injuries would allow him, Hook clambered down over the ruins, the sound of Wendy's drowning droning into his ears, its volume increasing with every step he took towards her. He made it to her in very little time, although for the both of them it must have appeared to take forever. Kneeling down and wrapping his hook in the chain that was limiting her self-escape, the Captain reached down, his free arm wrapping around Wendy's torso as he heaved her choking body out of the water. With a grunt he ripped through the chain that bound her, leaving only the metal cuff which encased her wrist and allowing her the opportunity to wrap her arms around his neck as she trembled in his arms. He slowly lowered her down onto the rock, his hand caressing her shoulder in an attempt to calm her breathing. As she relaxed, he brushed the damp locks out of her face, stroking her cheek, his fingers lingering on her lips. Their gazes locked once more, but this time there was no danger separating them, and so Hook lowered his face towards Wendy's, his eyes closing as their lips connected, warmth coursing through both their veins at each other's touch. Wrapping his hand around the back of Wendy's head, Hook sighed into the kiss, wanting nothing more than to remain in their position for ever more.

"Captain…"

Hook lifted his face from Wendy's, his lips still tingling from their moment of intimacy.

"James. Call me James, Wendy."

Wendy blushed, scarlet filling her cheeks as the handsome pirate captain smiled, his body still leaning over hers in a protective stance.

"…James. You were, I mean, Peter said that you were dead."

"Children lie; Pan is no exception. Did he hurt you Wendy? Was he the one who did this to you?"

James gestured to the cuff which, in Wendy's struggles to stop from drowning, had dug rather badly into her wrist, the dark bruises already starting to form. Wendy gasped, using what was left of her strength to pull herself into a seating position, Hook's arm wrapping around her in order to stop her from falling once more.

"I… I don't know James. It was all such a rush. I'm sorry."

They both knew that Wendy was lying, for who else could have done such a thing, but in that moment, neither seemed to care. Instead of questioning her further, James pulled the sodden Wendy into his warm chest, stroking her hair as she relaxed into his embrace, her hands finding their way under his jacket as they entwined themselves around the Captain's waist. Hook closed his eyes once more, breathing in Wendy's scent.

"Don't be sorry. You have nothing to apologise for, my dear. Just know that from now on, I will always be there to protect you. Pirate's honour."

The softest of giggles escaped Wendy's lips as she buried her head even further into James' warm chest.

"I did not realise pirates were so honorable."

James grinned at her response, chuckling softly to himself at her wit, however Wendy had once more spoken before he was able to execute an appropriately teasing retort.

"But what about Peter?"

James frowned, "What of him?"

"He remembered."

A short silence followed, during which only the gentle breaths emitted by Wendy as she cradled herself against James could be deciphered. The Captain thought for a moment, turning his head to look out beyond the castle's portcullis, surveying the starry sky that was draped like a blanket over Neverland.

"Then I'm afraid, Wendy, the fight has only just begun. Very shortly Pan will have to choose his destiny, and Neverland will have to decide who will survive the battle. The end, my dear, is nigh."


End file.
